APL Planning Statement Malew Burial

Extension to Burial Ground for Malew and Castletown Planning Statement for Wardens of Malew and Santon on behalf of the Burial Authority prepared by Prescott Associates Limited March 2022 Prescott Associates Limited West Woodlands Chartered Landscape Architects Main Road and Architectural Technologists St Johns IM4 3LU

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This Application This application by the Wardens of Malew and Santon on behalf of the Burial Authorities seeks approval for a one acre extension to the east of the Burial Ground for Malew and Castletown. Extensive negotiations have taken place since the 2021 appeal to secure the land adjacent to the Burial Ground. The present burial ground is full. It is expected that this extension will serve the continuing demand for burial space in Malew and Castletown for at least 10 – 15 years. The extension will preserve and enhance the continued use, heritage and national importance of the Burial Ground and the adjacent Malew Church. Parking is to remain on the roadside, as existing, and both the parking and pedestrian crossing could be improved by the provision of an upgrade to the existing warning signage. The continued use of the existing parking arrangements, with potential improved warnings, will mean that farmland is not lost through the provision of off-road parking. It is not expected that there will be an increase in the number of visitors to the Burial Ground that will affect the volume of vehicles parking on the road. The existing on road parking is itself a form of passive traffic management and alerts road users that an event or service is taking place. Design The layout is broadly similar to the existing Burial Ground with a paved central access pathway, perimeter pathways, intermediate linear grassed walkways to access burial plots. The pathways will be surfaced in bound gravel or asphalt and will be smooth to allow for easy access for a bier or wheelchairs. Seating will be provided around the Burial Ground to provide places for rest and reflection. The surfaced pathway through the existing Burial Ground will be improved by repairing and resurfacing to match the new pathways in the extended Burial Ground. The entrance to the existing Burial Ground will also be be repaired and improved by rendering and painting the gate posts to match the existing and providing a gate set back from the road. A gap will be formed in the existing perimeter wall and the existing pathway extended through to the new burial ground. A 5m by 3m timber shed (max 2.5m ridge height) will be included in the northern corner for storage of maintenance equipment which will be screened by a hedge. A boundary wall, to match the existing, will be provided around the extended burial ground. This will maintain the sense of enclosure internally and screen the Page 2 of 3

ground from outside. Existing sod banks and vegetation will be retained on the outer edge of the side boundaries, whilst a new hedgerow (composed of native species) will be planted on the new boundary to the east. This hedge will be protected on the field side by a stock-proof fence to match the existing fence. Internally, the graveyard will be softened by simple groupings of dwarf shrubs and trees (planted with recognition of the need to avoid disturbance of burial plots). Policy Provision for the Burial Ground extension was made in the Area Plan for the South. However, due to the refusal of the previous application and as noted in the previous planning appeal inspectors report and by the previous appellant, the new location and the removal of paved parking area preserves the visual impact of the Burial Ground extension, better maintains the field pattern and significantly reduces the impact on the Poyll Vaaish and Scarlett Peninsula Landscape Character Area. Environment Policy 14 restricts development that results in the permanent loss of class 1 – 2 agricultural land. Unfortunately the Burial Ground is surrounded by agricultural land. By maintaining and improving the existing on-road parking arrangements this application has removed the permanent loss of agricultural land to parking and limited the loss of agricultural land to the new Burial Ground extension. There is not expected to be an increase in the volume of vehicles attending services which would necessitate additional parking space. Strategic Policy 2 and Spacial Policy 5 state that development will be permitted only in the exceptional circumstances identified in paragraph 6.3 (General Policy 3) of the Strategic Plan. The Burial Ground extension falls within the circumstances G & H in paragraph 6.3 as there is a national need for the Church Authority to provide continued capacity for burials for Malew and Castletown and there is limited reasonable alternative to providing continued capacity for burials (see paragraph 6.3 G). In addition, by providing the continued capacity for burials in this location, the Church Authority are preserving the heritage of Malew Church (see paragraph 6.3 H). Environment Policy 1 states that development will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative. As noted above, there are limited reasonable and acceptable alternatives to extending the Burial Ground as suggested. The overall strategy of the Poyll Vaaish and Scarlett Peninsula Character Area is to conserve the strong sense of openness throughout the area and it’s strong field pattern. As previously noted, this application has removed the permanent loss of openness due to the provision of off road parking and has maintained the field pattern by locating the Burial Ground extension to the east which is better in line with the existing boundaries. Page 3 of 3