Officer Report

Application No.: 18/01180/B Applicant: William Daniel Christian Proposal: Extension to existing agricultural building Site Address: Ballakeigh Farm West Kimmeragh Road Bride Isle of Man IM7 4BA Planning Officer: Mr Nick Salt Photo Taken: 30.11.2018 Site Visit: 30.11.2018 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 17.12.2018 _________________________________________________________________

Conditions and Notes for Approval

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.

Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. The building extension hereby approved must be used only for agricultural purposes.

Reason: The countryside is protected from development and an exception is being made on the basis of agricultural need. As such the building must be used for the purposes for which it is approved.

Plans/Drawings/Information:

This permission relates to the following plans, drawings and information date stamped received on 9th November 2018:

• o Applicant/agent statement
• o Photographs of existing elevations
• o Livestock totals worksheet
• o Location Plan
• o Site Plan
• o Proposed elevation drawings and plan _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site forms part of the agricultural holding of Ballakeigh Farm, Bride which is located on the northern side of the West Kimmeragh Road and set back approx. 200m from the Highway. - 1.2 Currently on site is the farmhouse, a collection of old stone barns/ brick built buildings and interconnecting agricultural buildings to the east and west of the access road. The current barns are fully utilised for cattle housing, hay and straw storage, machinery store and parking for farm type vehicles and implements. - 1.3 Ballakeigh Farm is not visible from the public highway and is accessed from a farm road that serves a number of agricultural buildings and the farmhouse.

2.0 PROPOSAL - 2.1 The farm currently occupies 650 acres, of which 150 acres are cultivated for crops with 500 acres for grazing. The farm stock includes, 60 dairy cows, 100 suckler cows, 300 young stock and 550 ewes (lambed in February and March). - 2.2 Even with the previously approved 2018 application there remains a shortfall of 213 sq m. The proposed building would provide 125 sq m still leaving a shortfall of 88sq m. - 2.3 This application mirrors that of 18/00878/B with the exception that the proposal for alterations to the vehicular access has been removed. This application is solely for the extension of the agricultural building. - 2.4 Proposed is the erection of an agricultural building extension measuring a footprint of 13.7m long x 9.14m wide and 5.2m high to the ridge sheet. The extension would to be located to the west of the existing farm building and used for the storage of feed, bedding, machinery and fertiliser. During the lambing time the building will double up to house ewes and lambs. - 2.5 The construction of the buildings would be metal framed with timber construction elements to support the roof and cladding. The roof would be grey corrugated fibre cement sheets with a vented ridge. The sides of the building would feature a combination of concrete panels from ground level and above this, tanalised timber Yorkshire boarding with open ridge ventilation.

- 3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

• o 3.1 The following previous planning applications have been submitted and are deemed materially relevant to this application:
• o 18/00878/B - Erection of an extension to an existing agricultural building and alterations to an existing vehicular access. Refused. The current application is a resubmission of 18/00878/B with the exception of no proposals to alter the existing access. The building extension was regarded as acceptable in itself by the case officer, the application in that case was refused due to concerns regarding the alteration of the access.
• o 18/00514/B - Erection of an agricultural building. Approved.
• o 03/00902/B - Erection of an agricultural building. Approved.
• o 01/02415/B - Lean to extension to existing agricultural building. Approved.
• o 94/00579/B - Extension to agricultural building. Approved.
• o 88/04350/B - Erection of agricultural barn. Approved.

• o 87/00827/B - Re-roofing of barn with double pitched roof. Approved.
• o 85/01132/B - Extension to cow house. Approved.

- 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 In terms of land use designation the application site is located within a wider area of land that is designated as "woodland" and within an Area of High Landscape or coastal Value and scenic significance on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains a number of policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application. As the land is not zoned for development General Policy 3 is applicable; - 4.3 Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate area plan with the exception of;

• (f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry;

4.4 Spatial Policy 5 states; New development will be located within the defined settlements. Development will only be permitted in the countryside in accordance with General Policy 3 - 4.5 Environment Policy 1 states: The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an overriding 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. - 4.6 Environment Policy 2 states: The present system of landscape classification of Areas of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance (AHLV's) as shown on the 1982 Development Plan and subsequent Local and Area Plans will be used as a basis for development control until such time as it is superseded by a landscape classification which will introduce different categories of landscape and policies and guidance for control therein. Within these areas the protection of the character of the landscape will be the most important consideration unless it can be shown that:

• (a) the development would not harm the character and quality of the landscape; or
• (b) the location for the development is essential.

4.7 Environment Policy 3 states: Development will not be permitted where it would result in the unacceptable loss of or damage to woodland areas, especially ancient, natural and semi-natural woodlands, which have public amenity or conservation value.

4.6 Environment Policy 15 states: "Where the Department is satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building (including a dwelling), sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside, and that the impact of this development including buildings, accesses, servicing etc. is acceptable, such development must be sited as close as is practically possible to existing building groups and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour, siting and form to ensure that all new developments are sympathetic to the landscape and built environment of which they will form a part.

Only in exceptional circumstances will buildings be permitted in exposed or isolated areas or close to public highways and in all such cases will be subject to appropriate landscaping. The nature and materials of construction must also be appropriate to the purposes for which it is intended.

Where new agricultural buildings are proposed next to or close to existing residential properties, care must be taken to ensure that there is no unacceptable adverse impact through any activity, although it must be borne in mind that many farming activities require buildings which are best sited, in landscape terms, close to existing building groups in the rural landscape."

- 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 No representations or comments were made at the time of writing of this report (17.12.18) or determination (17.12.18). - 6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are the essential need for extension to the agricultural building and the impact of the building.

6.2 Essential Need

• 6.2.1 The starting point for any development within the countryside (i.e. not zoned for development) is Spatial Policy 5 and General Policy 3, which allows an exemption for essential agricultural buildings, and Environment Policy 15, as the first paragraph requires first the Planning Authority to be satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building, sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside.
• 6.2.2 The applicant has provided details to confirm they are the farmer/ owner of Ballakeigh Farm who lives on site, with a land holding totalling 650 acres associated to business. From the supporting information the applicant clearly owns a significant head of cattle and sheep, and to provide for their improved care via the proposed building is welcomed in principle. This aspect is deemed in accordance with Spatial Policy 5 and General Policy 3.
• 6.3 Impact of the building

• 6.3.1 Having considered the justification, we turn to the siting of the building, Environment Policy 15 notes the proximity of the proposal should be sited as close the farmstead as possible and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour, siting and form to ensure they are in keeping with their surroundings.
• 6.3.2 With this in mind, the siting and location of the new farm building are two of the most important factors to consider in the context of this application. It is noted from the submission details the current farm buildings are all clustered together in close proximity to the farm house and are various shapes and sizes with construction ranging from traditional Manx stone with either slate or corrugated sheeting for roof coverings to large metal framed building, cladded with corrugated metal sheeting. The chosen location is immediately adjacent to an existing building and would not appear out of character in its setting.
• 6.3.3 It is accepted the building would not easily be visible from the Highway, albeit this would be read in the landscape amongst existing farm buildings with a much larger agricultural buildings to the north-east as a backdrop. In considering the design and scale of the building, it is of a proportionate size and form in relation to the existing buildings within the landscape.
• 6.3.4 In terms of the scale, materials, colour, siting and form it is considered this application would be in accordance with Environment Policy 15 for the reasons stated above.

• 6.3.5 Environment Policy 1 states "The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake". The general location of the farm and its buildings is not readily visible from the highway or public vantage points given the topography of the area.

- 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposed extension meets the criteria of the tests of essential need and impact as considered in Section 6 and complies with the relevant policies in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. The application is recommended for approval with conditions. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material
• (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 The decision-maker must determine:

• o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and
• o whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

8.3 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 17.12.2018 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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