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Applicant: Cheeseden Investments Limited Proposal Installation of ground mounted solar array Site Address Ballaman Ballnahowe Port Erin Isle Of Man IM9 6JF Case Officer : Miss Lucy Kinrade Site Visit: Expected Decision Level Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation 26.08.2022
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
Reason: To comply with Article 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Reason: The structures have been exceptionally approved solely to meet sustainable energy need and its subsequent retention would result in an unwarranted intrusion in the countryside.
Reason: the application has been assessed on this basis only and in the interest of visual amenity.
Reason: The application has been assessed on this basis as requested in the application and in the interest of protection of the countryside.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.
The application is considered to comply with Environment Policies 1, 14 and 22, and Energy Policy 4. The application also accords with wider government strategies in reducing carbon emissions such as those referenced in Isle Of Man Future Energy Scenarios (2020).
Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to:
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status – Additional Persons
None ________________________________________________________________
THE APPLICATION IS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND IS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL
1.1 The application site comprises part of an existing agricultural field alongside 'Ballaman', Ballanahowe, Port Erin. THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Approval is sought for the installation of 340 ground mounted solar panels. The panels are to be double mounted and arranged in 6 lines running east to west with spacing between each line. The approx. area being 43m x 36m. The panels are to be pole mounted only, with no concrete pad and the existing field grass retained.
2.2 The panels are to be tilted at a fixed 20 degree angle and facing south. The panels will not move or rotate. The fixed tallest end will be 2.4m high, and the lower end 1m from ground floor. - 2.3 The agents supporting letter indicates that the installation is for private use only and not commercial, and that each panel in this system are 450-W panels and the annual generation of the PV system is 163498.68 kWh/year. - 2.4 Red and Blues lines were amended to reflect the true nature of the proposed works in the field and the rest of the area outlined in blue to reflect land ownership only.
3.1 Ballaman has been subject to a number of previous planning applications although none considered materially relevant in this specific case.
3.2 There have been a number of similar solar panel applications approved:
4.1 The site lies within an area not zoned for development on the Area Plan for the South
4.2 Paragraph 12.2.8 and Energy Policy 4 support development including alternative sources of energy but that their acceptability will be subject to the environmental objectives and policies of the Strategic Plan, and ultimately such development not being permitted if it unacceptably harms the environment unless a significant overriding or national need is demonstrated as stated in Environment Policies 1 and 22. Environment Policy 14 indicates that development that results in the permanent loss of high quality and important agricultural land would also not be permitted unless there is an overriding need or there is no other lower quality land available. The soil here is recognised as being Class 3 and Class 3/4.
4.3 Also relevant to the assessment of this application is the Isle Of Man Future Energy Scenarios (2020), in which the Isle of Man Government launched its Future Energy Scenarios Strategy to determine the pathways to meet the following: "Key Targets - To ensure 75% of the island's electricity is generated from renewable sources by 2035 and to deliver net zero emissions by 2050."
REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the government's website. This report contains summaries only.
5.1 Rushen Parish Commissioners - in support (29/04/2022).
5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - do not oppose (26/04/2022 and 19/08/2022)
ASSESSMENT 6.1 The main issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are the principle of development, the impact on the character and appearance of the countryside and whether there would be any agricultural and ecology issues as a result of their installation.
6.2 The site is not designated for development and the proposal doesn't meet any of those exceptions in General Policy 3, however there are policies which support renewable energies and recent government strategies and objectives are seeking to works towards a more sustainable future including the need to deliver net zero emissions by 2050. Therefore a balance must be struck in the environmental policies protecting the countryside and those wider Government plans in the reduction of carbon emissions. Visual Impact
6.3 The panels are to be located in a part of the field which dips and rolls downwards towards the house, and in the corner of the field closest to the existing built development. The site is not visible from the road immediately passing the site due to large boundary vegetation, and views from the south are not achievable due to topography and rolling hills. There were
7.1 Overall it is concluded that eh application has an acceptable visual and environmental impact and works towards those policies and objectives in seeking to reduce carbon emissions for the Isle of Man. Suitably worded conditions will be added to control development to the panels being fixed and not moving panels, and that should they no longer be used that they are removed along with any supports and the ground made good. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to the it by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Committee has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.
Decision Made : …Permitted……….... Committee Meeting Date:…05.09.2022
Signed: LUCY KINRADE Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below
Application No
22/00397/B
Applicant Cheeseden Investments Limited Proposal Installation of ground mounted solar array Site Address Ballaman Ballnahowe Port Erin Isle Of Man IM9 6JF Planning Officer Presenting Officer Miss Lucy Kinrade
As above
The case officer presented to the Planning Committee with an updated recommendation to include C4 to state that the solar array was to be for private use only in connection with Ballaman and not for any commercial use.
The representative speaker for the application indicated that there were other cottages on the site which would benefit from the solar array and did not want for the condition to prevent their use of the renewable energy.
A member also expressed concern as to whether such a condition would limit selling back to the national grid. The officer clarified that the application was sought for private use only and the application was assessed on this basis, minded that the land is not designated for development and the siting of the panels and their use being close to and in association with the existing estate. The case officer stated that the intention of the condition was not to stop any excess energy being put back into the grid, but to reflect what the application asked for and not a separate solar farming operation.
The planning condition was to include the word 'estate' so as to not prevent the panels from providing energy to other buildings within the Ballaman 'cluster' within the blue lines on the submitted plans.
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