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Application No.: 16/01358/B Applicant: Mr & Mrs Jonathan Field Proposal: Alteration and extension to redundant barn to create a residential dwelling Site Address: Corvalley Barn Ballaugh Cronk Ballaugh Isle Of Man Case Officer : Mr Chris Balmer Photo Taken: 11.01.2017 Site Visit: 11.01.2017 Expected Decision Level: Planning Committee Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 06.06.2017 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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.
Reason: To ensure that the strategic plan car parking standards are met in the interest of highway safety."
thereafter kept permanently clear of any obstruction exceeding 1050 mm in height above adjoining carriageway level.
Reason: In the interests of highway safety.
N 1. For the avoidance of doubt, with the exception of the walls highlighted in red on drawing 16 1201 9 NO further permission is hereby granted for any other part of the building to be rebuilt, even in identical form, if any part of it is demolished or falls down.
The Plans on which this recommendation is based are;
This approval relates to drawings reference numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7A, 8 , 9 and Structural Appraisal Report dated October 2016 received on 7th December 2016, 24th March 2017, 8th May 2017 and 5th June 2017.
_______________________________________________________________ Interested Person Status
8.0 PARTY STATUS 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:
Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture - Fisheries & Senior Biodiversity Officer (Zoology) are part of the same Department as is the planning authority and as such should not be afforded interested person status under the Order.
With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless
THE PLANNING APPLICATION IS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS IT COULD BE CONSIDERED CONTRARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN BUT IS RECOMMENDED FOR AN APPROVAL.
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site represents the curtilage of Corvalley Barn which is a detached single and two storey building located within The Cronk to the north of Ballaugh Village. The site is located on the eastern side of the Bollyn Road and is west of the Cronk Road. - 1.2 The barn runs immediately adjacent and parallel with the Bollyn Road, with its entire west elevation facing directly onto the road, with only a narrow section of grass verge separating it with the highway. - 1.3 Currently there are two access points, one to the northern gable end of the barn close to the Cronk bridge and the second is a narrow access to the southern gable end wall of the barn.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks approval for the alteration and extension to redundant barn to create a residential dwelling. - 2.2 The main alterations related to works to the existing two storey barn section which is proposed to be extended and the existing roof of the two storey section would be removed and re-originated 90 degrees. Further works include the removal of the majority of the existing single storey southern section of the barn to enable a similar sized extension on the same footprint. It should be noted the two extensions would be finished in timber cladding. The remainder of the barn would remain as is and be incorporated into the overall conversion.
3.0 PLANNING POLICY AND STATUS - 3.1 The application site is within an area designated as High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance and partially within an area of woodland, not designated for development under the Isle of Man Development Plan Order 1982. The site is not within a Conservation Area. - 3.2 Due to the land use designation of the site and the type of development proposed, the following policies of the Strategic Plan are relevant to consider: - 3.3 General Policy 3 states: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:
3.4 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 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." - 3.5 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:
3.6 Housing Policy 11 states: "Conversion of existing rural buildings into dwellings may be permitted, but only where:
Permission will not be given for the rebuilding of ruins or the erection of replacement buildings of similar, or even identical, form.
Further extension of converted rural buildings will not usually be permitted, since this would lead to loss or reduction of the original interest and character."
4.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 4.1 There have been no previous planning applications on the application site which are considered relevant in the assessment and determination of this application.
5.1 Ballaugh Parish Commissioners have no objection (on 18.04.2017). - 5.2 Highway Services initially raised concerns over the access and its substandard visibility out onto the public highway (on 06.01.2017). Following this initial objection the applicants discussed the proposal with Highway Services who made the following comments (on 27.04.2017): "Having visited the site and considered the access arrangements, concerns remain over the access and its substandard visibility out onto the public highway.
However, there is no alternative to the proposed access…the layout does not allow for the necessary sight lines.
The route passing the site is narrow and generally of a single vehicle width, it is rural by nature with individual frontage access points both residential and farming.
In order to progress the application it is recommended the access road be shifted as far as possible towards the bridge in order to maximise the available vision to the left for vehicles exiting the site. It is also recommended the agent consider a convex mirror on the right hand side of the access to further assist vehicles exiting the site in terms of traffic approaching from the left.
I've discussed the proposals with agent who will submit a further revised plan prior to final comments."
5.3 Following further discussions with the applicant and additional information Highway services do not object making the following comments (12.05.2017):
"The applicant has submitted a drawing indicating a new alignment for the access and the location of a traffic mirror to aid visibility. The drawing does not include the full visibility splays and such a drawing is required to ensure the visibility splays can be secured by condition.
Highway Services does not oppose the application subject to the following conditions:
5.4 The Fisheries Directorate (DEFA) raise no objection following the submission of the development within 9m of a water course form (18.04.2017) - 5.5 The Senior Biodiversity Officer recommends a Bat Survey be undertaken (06.01.2017).
6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The starting point for any development within the countryside (i.e. not zoned for development) is General Policy 3 paragraph b of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. This policy states that conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historical, or social value and interest (Housing Policy 11) are one of the possible exceptions to development on land not designated for development. There are a number of criteria indicated within this policy, which any proposed development must comply with.
6.2 With regard to paragraph (a) of Housing policy 11, the barns are not used in relation to agriculture (i.e. its original use) and therefore it is clearly redundant. Furthermore, from comments received previously from the DEFA (Former Agricultural Advisor) this type of barn can no longer be used for modern agricultural farming either for storage of equipment or keeping of animals (animal welfare standards). It is therefore considered the redundancy has been established and conforms to Housing Policy 11. - 6.3 With regard to paragraph (b), this deals with whether the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation. Included in the submission is a structural report for the stone barn, which splits the building into three parts, the northern, central and southern sections. In summary the report concludes the following for each section:- - 6.4 Northern Section - "The northern section of the barn is in reasonably good structural order and can be readily incorporated into any refurbishment scheme for the building. The general near verticality of the walls, along with the well bonded nature of the stonework, means that with the exception of the gable wall, there is no extensive remedial works required to the bulk of the walls, just local patching, stitching, and pointing. The gable wall will require to be taken down to just below lintel level and subsequently rebuilt…" - 6.5 Central Section - "The central section is in a better structural condition than the northern section and can be readily be incorporated into any refurbishment scheme for the barn building as a whole. The verticality of the perimeter walls and the well bonded nature of the stonework mean than only local patching and pointing will be required. Similar to the northern section the walls may need to be concrete underpinned dependant on the floor level…" - 6.6 Southern section - "Much of this southern section will need to be taken down and in part rebuilt. The front west wall will need to be retained below road level to continue to act as a retaining wall, and it may be necessary to reinforce the wall internally to maintain its integrity. The return gable wall should also be retained up to road level to retain the sloped land at the ned of the barn, some repairs to this piece of wall will be necessary to maintain the integrity of the retaining affect of the wall…" - 6.7 Following the above comments, particularly the potential requirement of the removal of part of the northern gable wall of the northern section to lintel level and the removal of part of the roadside wall of the southern section (both shown on submitted plans being retained in most part, the department sought clarification from the applicants agent, as the plans and the structural report appear to contradict each other. - 6.8 The Agent confirms that following further discussion with the Structural Engineer and with the department they have revised the scheme to more reflect the comments of the engineer. Accordingly, more of the original building is proposed to be removed than initially proposed. In terms of the northern gable wall, a small section is required to be removed and rebuilt and the department has no object to this, as this section of the building would still retain the majority of its original character and interest. - 6.9 At this stage it is considered important to consider paragraphs (c) and (d) of Housing policy 11 in conjunction with to paragraph (b) as all are essentially interlinked. Paragraph (c) deals with whether the barn retains its character and quality and certainly has architectural interest significant to warrant their retention. It is considered it does and therefore the principle of the conversion is acceptable. Paragraph (d) considers whether the building should be large enough to form a satisfactory dwelling, either as it stands or with modest, subordinate extension which does not affect adversely the character or interest of the building. This section of the policy in conjunction with structural aspect is perhaps the key issue with this application.
6.10 The southern single storey section of the original building requires the most significant works and essentially requires the majority of it being removed and a new extension built on a the same footprint. This is not an automatic reason to refuse the application, as the policy does allow modest subordinate extensions. Further, the extension of the southern single storey section from a public perspective would appear similar to what already exists, i.e. a blank stone roadside wall, albeit instead of a lean-to roof structure it would have a pitched roof. - 6.11 Also it is proposed to extend the existing two storey aspect in the centre of the building with a two storey extension which then would continue along with the also new southern section of the building mentioned above. This aspect would arguably change the appearance of the building most, by the two storey extension to the central section and in turn twisting the roof plan 90 degrees. While such works would be initially noticeable, it is not considered the form of development not to be inappropriate or adversely affect the character and interest of the existing barn. The new two storey aspect would be built to clearly appear as an extension being finishes in Cedar or Scottish larch timber cladding to all elevations. This approached has worked very well at Sam's Barn at Ballaragh with the extension being finished in the same timber materials with a contemporary design and fenestration. What results is a clear difference between old and new and therefore the interest and character of the original building is well defined and retained. - 6.12 In terms of percentage increase over the existing property the proposals (total 254.1 sqm) would equate to an approximate 23% increase over the existing building (205 sqm). - 6.13 Overall, it is considered the approach taken would retain the majority of the existing character and interest of the original buildings, whilst the proposed additional extensions which are considered of high quality design and finish would increase this interest as well. - 6.14 Paragraph (e), questions whether the use would be compatible with adjoining established uses. The property most affected is Corvalley, directly adjacent to the site to the south. The proposed design and layout of the extension are such that there would be no overlooking, loss of light and or overbearing impacts upon the residential amenities of the occupants of Corvalley. The proposal would introduce more comings and goings from the site, potentially increasing the chances of disturbances; however, being a single dwelling and the low levels of traffic likely to be generated it is not considered the impacts would be so significant to warrant a refusal. - 6.15 Housing Policy 11 requires that the building is or can be provided with satisfactory services without unreasonable public expenditure. The site is near to a number of existing residential properties which are all served by the required services. Accordingly, there are no comments to the contrary and therefore it is considered the proposal would comply with this section. - 6.16 The final matter relates to whether the access servicing the new dwelling would be appropriate. Highway Services have had detailed discussions with the applicants and consequently amended plans have been submitted. These included removal of a small section of walling to the north of the proposed access and the installation of a mirror to the end of the wall. Accordingly, with the required visibility splays being provided and alteration of the boundary wall and installation of a mirror it is considered the proposal from a highway safety perspective is acceptable.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 Overall, it is considered the proposal would comply with General Policy 3, Environment Policies 1 & 2 and Housing Policy 11 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan and therefore it is recommended that the application be approved.
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Signed :……C BALMER………….. Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph in the Officer’s report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO
Revised note attached to the decision
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