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This report has been prepared by Caroline Perry of Island Land - Based Services Limited. I have an Honours Degree in Agriculture Science from Nottingham University and am a Member of the BASIS Professional Registry. After leaving University I worked for Laurence Gould Consultants and Carter Jonas Chartered Surveyors in the UK. Much of this work involved provision of a full farm management service on behalf of private and institutional clients. Since 1993 I have provided technical and financial advice to the agriculture industry on the Isle of Man. Firstly as an agricultural adviser for DAFF and then in 2005 I set up my own company Island Land - Based Services Limited. Much of this work involves advising farmers on capital investments and the likely implications it will have on the farming business. I currently work for farmers, agricultural and public sector organisations and government Departments in the Isle of Man.
28 JUN 2011
Island Land-Based Services Limited acts upon behalf of J R Creer Limited and has been instructed to prepare an agricultural appraisal to assess whether the construction of an additional agricultural dwelling at Middle Cordeman Farm would meet the requirements of the relevant Housing Policies and Environment Policies as per the Isle of Man Strategic Plan.
The application applies for planning permission for the construction of an agricultural worker's dwelling on Middle Cordeman Farm, close to the existing farm buildings. The dwelling would be occupied by a full time agricultural worker (and his/her family) employed to work on the farm.
The farm totals 235.69 acres with a total of 220.46 acres eligible for Country Care Scheme payments. A further 49 acres is rented on a seasonal grazing basis. The land is classified as Grade3 (Agricultural Land Classification), with the soil type being predominantly free draining stony silty loam.
The farm is stocked and managed to produce a range of top quality, fresh local meat for the Manx people whilst at the same time enhancing and protecting the wildlife on the farm.
Prior to J R Creer Limited taking over the management of the farm in 2001, it had been neglected. Many farm tracks were impassable, very little of the fencing was stock proof, hedges were overgrown, few fields had a source of fresh drinking water for stock, field drains and ditches had become blocked, injurious weeds were growing in many of the fields and gorse was covering much of the grazing land. Since that time there has been a program of improvements which included clearing the farm tracks, 8500 m of new stock fencing, 60 new farm gates, hedges trimmed, 2500 m of water pipe and 15 water troughs installed, 3000 m ditches cleared, field drains repaired and a program for controlling injurious weeds and gorse put into practice. There has also been an increase in overall area and improvements of existing agricultural buildings and livestock handling systems have been installed. In 2007/2008 a new farmhouse was built as there was no accommodation at all on the farm. The environmental programs include the construction of two large ponds, participation in an agricultural management agreement for the protection of orchids and eight small wood schemes. Currently 25.95 acres are being used for growing spring barley and the remainder of fields are in medium to long term grass leys for grazing and silage.
The beef herd consists of 36 suckler cows with offspring finished on farm. There is a Manx Loaghtan sheep flock comprising of 143 ewes with lambs finished generally up to 18 months of age. The commercial flock consists of 89 ewes with lambs finished of grass. 5 sows are kept outdoors to produce farm pork and there are 56 free range hens and 9 geese.
The general policy background is set out in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. The relevant policies are:
The size and type of business has expanded since 2001 and now there is an urgent requirement for two full time agricultural workers to be resident on the farm. Based on DEFA's interpretation of the calculation of standard labour unit requirements there is an approximate requirement of 1.9 labour units. However if the UK interpretation of the labour units is used it is 2.29 labour units. (Appendix 1 and 2). (How the requirements are calculated will shortly be reviewed but it is thought that the UK interpretations will be implemented on the Isle of Man. The two differences to note in this application are $1 /$ including livestock from birth and not at weaning. 2/ Recognising that the average size of fields is smaller than in England and Scotland by increasing the standard hours/acre as in Northern Ireland.)
Please note that neither standard labour unit calculations take into account that the farm has to breed and rear a wider range of livestock than the "average farm" due to the unique marketing of the meat or the fact that time is spent enhancing and protecting the farm's wildlife.
It is essential for there to be two agricultural dwellings on the farm to ensure full cover is provided for:-
With just one dwelling, an agricultural worker would not be able to leave the farm or even do work in the furthest fields except for very short periods of time.
There are no other dwellings on the farm, or any other existing accommodation in the area which is suitable and available for occupation by an agricultural worker.
In the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, Section 8.9.3 lists 5 points which need to be considered when judging whether the need is sufficient to over-ride other policies: (a) The previous or proposed severance of land and buildings. It is uncertain if other dwellings in the vicinity of the farm were ever part of the part but if they were this would have been prior to the farm been managed by J R Creer Limited. It is unlikely that any other substantial amount of land was ever part of the farm. There are no proposals to sell any parts of the farm. (b) The agricultural justification for sub-division of a farm. The farm has not been sub-divided. (c) The long-term viability of new or unproven agricultural enterprises. The current agricultural has been in existence for 10 years and in that time has expanded from been a neglected, overgrown farm with no livestock to a well-run, thriving mixed enterprise Manx farm. (d) The extent to which the applicant's employment in agriculture is only part-time.
The standard labour unit calculations (see above) prove that there is full justification for two agricultural dwellings on the farm. (e) In the case of a retiring farmer, whether the proposal would result in vacation of an existing farm dwelling for agricultural use. This application does not involve anyone retiring from farming.
Housing Policy 8: Where permission is granted for an agricultural dwelling, a condition will be attached restricting the occupation to a person engaged or last engaged solely in agriculture; or a widow or widower of such a person, or any resident dependants. The application is for an agricultural dwelling for a full time agricultural worker. Housing Policy 9: Where permission is granted for an agricultural dwelling, the dwelling must be sited such that; (a) It is within or immediately adjoining the main group of farm buildings or a group of farm buildings associated with that farm, (b) It is well set back from any public highway, and (c) It is approached via the existing access.
All these conditions can be accommodated.
"The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake" and "development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over-riding national need..." The area planned for the dwelling is on land which is adjacent to agricultural buildings which has little agricultural use or benefit to wildlife. The construction of an agricultural dwelling will improve the appearance of the area and probably encourage the regeneration of wildlife areas close by as stock and agricultural plant and materials will be excluded.
(a) The development would not harm the character and quality of the landscape; (b) The location for the development is essential.
The proposed agricultural dwelling would be inconspicuous as it will be close to the existing buildings and will be hidden from view from most directions. The dwelling is essential as demonstrated above.
Development which would result in the permanent loss of important and versatile agricultural land (Classes 1 - 2) will not be permitted except where there is an overriding need for the development. The propose agricultural dwelling is on Grade 3 land (See above)
Agricultural dwellings must be sited as close as 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 part. The proposal is for the agricultural dwelling to be as close as practically possible to existing buildings and the design ensures that it will be sympathetic to the landscape.
The type and scale of the farm enterprises show clearly that there is a requirement for two agricultural dwellings on the farm. The current farming business is well established and will probably continue to expand into the future. No other dwellings are available and all other planning requirements and policies relating to agricultural dwellings can be satisfied.
The proposal therefore warrants support and approval.
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