25 November 2025 · Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture (delegated to Mr Lawrie Hooper, MHK)
Balnahow Farmhouse, Balnahowe, Santon, Isle Of Man, IM4 1hn
The proposal sought approval for a pantry extension (22.68m², render and slate), porch extension (8.5m², oak-framed glazing), orangery extension to existing flat-roofed orangery (30.62m², vertical timber cladding), and L-shaped detached storage building (135.6m², oak cladding, slate roof, 10m from dwelling).
Appeal against the refusal for single-storey extensions to east and south elevations; erection of porch; erection of detached storage building
Single-storey extensions to east and south elevations; erection of porch; erection of detached storage building
Change of use to residential garden and retrospective approval for glamping pod, timber sheds and timber decking
Additional use of summer house/pod for guest accommodation
Erection of a detached shed/boathouse
Erection of a detached garage
Erection of a detached garden store
Erection of porch extension, detached stables, and alterations to access lane
Erection of a building to provide two garages and alteration to garden curtilage boundary lines
Alterations and additions to farmhouse and extension to residential curtilage
Access lane alterations to form two new field access gates and new vehicle turning head
Alterations, installation of dormer windows and erection of extensions. Creation of vehicular access and driveway, and extension of residential curtilage.
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The officer refused due to the proposals exceeding H15's 50% floorspace limit (77.95% cumulative with prior approvals), rendering the storage building and orangery 'out of scale and character' in coun…
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside for its own sake, permitting development only for overriding national need with no alternative. Officer found proposals harmed character; Inspector found no significant adverse impact due to limited visibility, appropriate design, and curtilage location.
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site/surroundings in siting, scale, form, design. Officer cited b/c failures for visual intrusion; Inspector found compliant as extensions subordinate/respectful and storage rural-appropriate.
General Policy 3
Restricts countryside development to exceptions. Officer applied strictly; Inspector noted curtilage extensions/outbuildings allowable via HP15/16 balancing.
Housing Policy 15
Limits traditional rural extensions to 50% floorspace, requiring respect for existing form. Officer calculated 77.95% failure; Inspector downplayed numerics for non-traditional house, found design respectful.
Housing Policy 16
Resists non-traditional rural extensions increasing public impact. Officer applied to orangery/storage; Inspector primary test, found no increased public view impact.
Environment Policy 2
Protects high landscape value areas unless no harm or essential. Officer found neither met for storage; Inspector found no harm via design/screening.
Time limit
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Remove permitted development rights
Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2035 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification), no development shall be undertaken under the following classes of Schedule 1 of the Order at any time: Class 13 - Greenhouses and polytunnels; Class 14 - Extension of dwellinghouse; Class 15 - Garden sheds and summer-houses; Class 16 - Fences, walls and gates; Class 17 - Private garages and car ports; Class 21 - Decking.
Landscaping scheme
Prior to the commencement of works on site, full details of soft and hard landscaping works shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department and these works shall be carried out as approved. All planting comprised in the approved details of landscaping must be carried out in the first planting and seeding seasons following the initial use of the development. Any trees or plants which die or become seriously damaged or diseased must be replaced in the next planting season with others of a similar size and species. The hard landscaping works shall be completed in full accordance with the approved details prior to the use of the development hereby approved. No excavation works or changes to site levels shall be carried out other than in accordance with the approved details.
Storage building - private non-commercial use
The stand-alone storage building shall be used only for private and not commercial purposes associated with Balnahow Farmhouse, its curtilage and associated land, as outlined in red and blue on approved plan reference 24016/01.
Storage building - private vehicles/machinery only
The stand-alone storage building shall be used only for the storage of private vehicles and/or machinery associated with the occupation and management of Balnahow Farm.
Storage building materials
The external walls and doors on the stand-alone storage building must be finished and thereafter kept in a dark green or brown colour.
no comments
no comments
The original application for single-storey extensions to east and south elevations, erection of porch, and detached storage building at Balnahow Farmhouse was refused by DEFA Principal Planner on 29 July 2025 primarily due to excessive floorspace increase beyond Policy H15's 50% limit (77.95% cumulative), poor design of orangery extension, and visual impact of storage building harming countryside character contrary to policies including GP2, GP3, H15, H16, ENV1, ENV2. Appellant argued the storage building is standalone (not counting towards H15 floorspace, keeping total at 39%), proposals respect residential curtilage, follow pre-application advice, and precedents support approval; site not visible publicly. Inspector assessed farmhouse as largely non-traditional (HP16 applies over strict H15 limits), found extensions respectful of existing building and storage building appropriate to rural context with minimal visual harm under EP1, GP2, HP15/16. Appeal allowed on 27 November 2025 by Mr Lawrie Hooper MHK accepting inspector B J Sims' recommendation, with conditions on time limit, permitted development removal, landscaping, storage use restrictions, and finishes.
Precedent Value
Sets precedent that substantially extended rural dwellings treated as non-traditional under HP16 (public view impact test) rather than strict H15 50% limit; detached ancillary storage in curtilage assessed solely under EP1/GP2 if rural-appropriate, not as house extension; pre-app advice and limited visibility persuasive even without public highway views.
Inspector: Brian J Sims BSc (Hons) CEng MICE MRTPI
