Additional Planning Information

Additional Information

29 AUG 2013

Received on 1391022

Ref: Approval in principle for the erection of a detached agricultural dwelling at Balla-ny-Baa, Blue Point Road, The Lhen, Andreas.

• The additional information below is for the Planning Committee’s deliberations when making a decision on the above pending planning application.

• The applicant owns the site at Balla-ny-Baa, which consists of six fields between the main coast road and Blue Point. There is approximately 81 acres. A large 20 metre wide x 30 metre long steel portal framed agricultural barn is situated in the bottom south-east corner of field No 120242 alongside Blue Point Crossroads. An existing vehicular access is situated in the bottom south boundary, which provides access to the existing barn.

• The applicant currently lives at Kerroogarroo Farm which is situated further south of the proposed site, off the Road of the Ayre in the Parish of Andreas.

• The applicant is proposing to build a detached agricultural workers dwelling on the land he owns at Blue Point.

• A site visit was carried out with the acting Planning Officer Chris Balmer on Thursday 15th October 2009, to discuss the possibility of erecting a detached agricultural workers dwelling on the site and a possible location for the proposed detached dwelling.

• Three possible site locations were discussed and are labelled “A, B & C” on the submitted drawings/documentation.

• OPTION A:

Indicates the proposed detached dwelling located in the south-east corner of field No 120242, between the existing agricultural barn and the main coast road. Access would be via the existing vehicular access off the main highway.

• OPTION B:

Indicates the proposed detached dwelling located along the south boundary of field No 120242 and to the south-west of the existing agricultural barn. Access again would be via the existing vehicular access off the main highway.

• OPTION C:

Indicates the proposed detached dwelling located to the rear, (north), of the existing

agricultural barn in field No 120242. Access again would be via the existing vehicular access off the main highway with the drive running along the west of the existing agricultural barn utilising the existing field gate access in front of the existing agricultural barn.

• The proposed application is different to that originally refused under planning application no 09/01969/A, as the defined site is purely dealing with the 81 acres of land at “Balla-ny-Baa” which is in full ownership of the applicant and does not include any of the rented land at “Kerroogarroo Farm”.

• Our client’s intention has always been to try and establish “approval in principle” for the erection of a detached farm workers dwelling on the land that he owns at Balla-ny-Baa. This would allow the applicant to live on the land that he owns and still carry out farming activities, albeit to a smaller scale than what he currently carries out now on both the land he owns and the leased land at Kerroogarroo Farm.

• We attach at Appendix 1 a “worksheet for calculation of standard labour unit requirements”, which is based upon the applicants proposed farming activities at Balla-ny-Baa only. The total labour units required equates to 1.19 units.

• As previously discussed with the acting Planning Officer our client is trying to establish a retirement dwelling on land that he owns, which in turn would free the lease of the main rented farm holding at Kerroogarroo for either a family member to continue on with the business or provide an established farming enterprise for a younger farmer to take on. As mentioned in the previous application the applicant would be available to assist either the family member or the new young farmer at the early stages to ensure that the existing farming enterprise continues to be successful. This we would claim falls within the spirit of clause 8.9.3(e) which states; “in the case of a retiring farmer, whether the proposal would result in vacation of an existing farm dwelling for agricultural use, and whether the applicant would continue to assist in the operation of the farm”.

• Please also find attached at Appendix 2 a letter of support from W. E. Teare, MHK for Ayre dated 18th September 2012, which reinforces the point mentioned above.

• With regards to the Independent Inspectors closing comments numbered 21 to 25 in his report dated 25th February 2011, we make the following comments for your consideration;

• Point 21:

The Inspector makes the following comments; “Whilst I acknowledge that the policy makes a provision for dwellings for retired farmers in certain circumstances, I consider that a greater degree of certainty in relation to the future of the business would be required before the principle of an additional dwelling could be entertained in this case”.

As mentioned in the points above the applicant wishes to vacate the main farm holding at Kerroogarroo to live at Balla-ny-Baa and continue farming at a lesser level including assisting the new tenant at Kerroogarroo, whether this be a family member

or new younger farmer. This would in itself protect the future of the established farming enterprise, if the applicant remains living on the main farm holding there will come a time when the farming activities will have to cease, due to the applicant approaching retirement age, and the current activities becoming too much for the applicant. By allowing the applicant to live on the land he owns at Balla-ny-Baa and assist with the existing farming activities at Kerroogarroo it provides a seamless continuation of the farming activities at Kerroogarroo Farm and the future of the farm maintained.

• Point 22:

Firstly the current housing market does not allow our client the option of purchasing a house in the village of Andreas.

Secondly and more importantly the applicants proposed reduced farming activities to be carried out at Balla-ny-Baa will comprise of approximately 45 suckler cows. It is well established that living on-site aids the animal’s health and welfare especially through the periods of calving.

• Point 23:

Points addressed above.

• Points 24 & 25:

During the pre-application consultation period of the original refused planning application a meeting was held on-site on the Thursday 15th October 2009 between Penketh-Millar and the acting Planning officer, Chris Balmer, and the possible location of the future dwelling was discussed. Taking into account Housing Policy 9, which states;

“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 farm access”

As discussed and agreed on-site we still feel that the three options labelled “A to C” are still the most appropriate location for the proposed dwelling. They comply with both “a and c” above. To comply with “b” above is difficult if the farm building(s) mentioned in “a” is not well set back from the highway itself. With this said the applicant is more than happy to site the dwelling either further west of location “B” or further north of location “C” if the committee felt that there was a more desirable location. We are simply trying to establish the principle idea of erecting a detached farmer workers dwelling on the site and the exact location of the proposed dwelling would be considered at the reserved matters application should the approval in principle application be successful.