DEC Officer Report

Application No.: 19/00990/B Applicant: Manx Utilities Authority Proposal: Installation of a heat pump to replace boiler Site Address: The Stables Knockaloe Beg Farm Knockaloe Beg Lane Raggatt Peel Isle Of Man IM5 3AQ Planning and Enforcement Assistant: Mrs Vanessa Porter Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 04.11.2019 _________________________________________________________________

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This decision relates to the following plans and drawings, date stamped received 5th September 2019:

• o Location plan 1:2500
• o Site plan 1:250
• o Site Plan 1:50 & 1:100
• o Annotated photographs of site
• o Technical Specifications of the heat pump _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status – Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE

1.1 The application site is the residential curtilage of The Stables, Knockaloe Beg Farm, Knockaloe Beg Lane, Raggatt which is a holiday let converted stables on the Knockaloe Beg Farm site which is accessed by a narrow farm lane. - 1.2 The Stables is situated to the western side of the Knockaloe Beg Farm site of which the rear directly faces substantial fields. THE PROPOSAL

2.1 The current planning application seeks approval to install an air source heat pump (ASHP) to generate renewable heating for the dwelling. The air source heat pump would be 1.05m wide, 0.48 deep and under 1.1m in height. The ASHP will be situated to the rear of The Stables to the left hand side of the rear elevation and will replace the existing gas bottles. - 2.2 Noise levels provided by the product specifications submitted indicate that the noise emitted by the unit would be 45dB @ 1 metre. PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 There are several applications on the site of which the holiday let was approved under 05/92183/B and 12/00083/C. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area zoned as Open Space on the Isle of Man Development Order 1982, South Map. The property is also within an area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider General Policy 3, General Policy 2, Environment Policy 1 & 2 and Energy Policy 4.

4.2 General Policy 3 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 states: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:

• (a) essential housing for agricultural workers who have to live close to their place of work; (Housing Policies 7,8,9 and 10);
• (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historic or social value and interest; (Housing Policy 11);
• (c) previously developed land(1) which contains a significant amount of building; where the continued use is redundant; where redevelopment would reduce the impact of the current situation on the landscape or the wider environment; and where the development proposed would result in improvements to the landscape or wider environment;
• (d) the replacement of existing rural dwellings; (Housing Policies 12,13 and 14);
• (e) location-dependent development in connection with the working of minerals or the provision of necessary services;
• (f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry;
• (g) development recognised to be of overriding national need in land use planning terms and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative; and
• (h) buildings or works required for interpretation of countryside, its wildlife or heritage.

4.3 General Policy 2 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan states "Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:

• (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
• (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality and

• (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption."

4.4 Environment Policy 1 from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 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.36 or which is not designated for future development on the 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." - 4.5 Environment Policy 2 from the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 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.

4.6 The Strategic Plan also provides guidance on the installation of renewable energy apparatus which states: "12.2.8 The Department is fully supportive of the need to secure greater energy efficiency in new and existing development and has recently introduced additional energy efficiency requirements in the Building Regulations 2003. Energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources are covered in General Policy 2(m) of the Building Regulations. At the same time the Department recognizes that renewable energy sources can have adverse environmental impacts. The idea of a wind turbine Installation is currently being investigated and considered by the Manx Electricity Authority. Any feasible site is likely to be exposed and have considerable visual impact. There may also be other impacts such as noise. On a smaller scale, the popularity of domestic wind turbines has been increasing in recent years in response to rising energy prices and increasing awareness of climate change. Planning applications for domestic wind turbines are unlikely to require the submission of an Environmental Impact Assessment. The Department will assess any proposals for wind turbine installations by weighing the benefits of using such renewable energy sources against the environmental impact arising in any particular site. It is likely that the visual impact would be less detrimental on a coastal site than on a rural or upland one. - 4.7 Accordingly it is required to assess Energy Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, which states: "Development involving alternative sources of energy supply, including wind, water and tide power, and the use of solar panels, will be judged against the environmental objectives and policies set out in this Plan. Installations involving wind, water and tide power will require the submission of an EIA."

REPRESENTATIONS

5.1 Highway Services have No Highways Interest in this application (25.09.2019).

5.2 Malew Parish Commissioners have considered the proposal and have no objection (23.10.19). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of the planning application is whether the proposal has any adverse environmental impacts upon the area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance.

6.2 The proposal will be in accordance with CP2(n) in respect of non-renewable energy consumption and the general support in the Strategic Plan for the installation of renewable

energy installations. The sizing of the ASHP is modest in size and would replace the current gas bottles.

6.3 The proposed ASHP will not be publicly visible apart from tourists staying at The Stable/ within the Knockaloe Beg Farm site. Due to the siting of the ASHP to the rear it is only facing onto fields as such it will not result in any adverse impacts on the area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. In this respect the proposal is in accordance with GP2(b,c,g) and Environment Policy 1 & 2. - 6.4 In terms of noise impact, the sound pressure level of the heat pump at 45dB @ 1 metre would not be significantly different than that expected from an outdoor oil boiler. For reference, 50dB is similar to the noise generated by light traffic, 60dB that of normal conversation or an air conditioner. There will be a background noise generated but this is not considered likely to have a detrimental impact on the amenity of any of the tourists staying within the Knockaloe Beg Site.

CONCLUSION

7.1 The proposal is considered to accord with General Policy 3, General Policy 2, Environment Policy 1 & 2 and Energy Policy 4 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan, as well as wider Government climate change strategy and is recommended for approval. 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.

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: 05.11.2019 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Principal Planner

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