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30 NOV 2021
The retrospective planning application is for a mobile field stable/shelter to be used exclusively for the agricultural business on farmland owned by the applicant Mr Steven Lace located in the east of the Dhoon Loop Road, Dhoon, Ramsey. This report is to explain why a mobile building is essential for the agriculture business and that it does constitute an exception to warrant the setting aside of established planning policy aimed at protecting the countryside from unwarranted development.
Mr Steven Lace comes from a farming family and even though from an early age had a real interest in the agricultural industry took the decision for family and financial reasons to embark in a career in the auto industry. Having worked incredibly hard to establish a well-respected and successful business in Douglas he has decided that now is the time to let someone else take over the running of this business and so he can go back to his roots of farming the land which has been in his family for many years.
The land which Mr Lace owns is made up of a block of 11 fields totalling some 25 acres of agricultural land. The land is Grade 3 agricultural land, classified as having the potential for mixed livestock and cropping agriculture.
The land was rented out but has now been taken back 'in hand' by Mr Lace. He currently owns 50 ewes which are on the farm and with improvements to the fencing, drainage, soil health and grassland will over time be able to increase the stocking rates. He has already put in a substantial length of new stock fencing where needed, improved field drainage, cleared some areas of thick gorse and improved the biodiversity of the farm by planting wildflower mixes etc. He has a flock number provided by DEFA for the sheep he owns. Most of the agricultural machinery which he currently owns for managing the farm include a Massey Ferguson tractor, fertiliser spreader, mobile sheep handling system, fencing equipment and other general maintenance machinery is currently has to be stored off-site.
As the agricultural land is gradually improved, Mr Lace will have the opportunity to look at diversifying into other agricultural enterprises to improve the economic viability of the farm. He is currently looking at investing in different breeds of sheep with the intention of setting up a small pedigree flock. Obviously, prior to investing in any other agricultural enterprises, consideration will be given to its effect on the wildlife, visual impact, current legislation and local demand for products.
There are no buildings currently associated with the land.
The retrospective planning application is for a 24ft x 12ft x 10ft high mobile field stable/shelter which is required to ensure all necessary legislation and agricultural codes of practice can be adhered to in order that Mr Lace can farm the land. The stable/shelter is general purpose, providing storage for livestock feed and minerals, a locked veterinary medicine cabinet and storage for small agricultural machinery and tools required for running a sheep farm. It can also provide areas for lambing in poor weather and penning for individual sheep when isolation is required.
The field stable/shelter is designed to be mobile and so will be located where required at any one time for the farming operations. However, it will not be located within 20 metres of any part of the boundary of Thallo Mitchell including the driveway or Thalloo-Ree. Their visual impact will also carefully be considered each time it is moved to a new location, and it will not be located in any parts of fields liable to flooding.
One of the requirements of selling finished lambs is that farms must be "Farm Assured". The following are some of the standards which are required to become farm assured:
In addition to Farm Assurance standards, sheep producers must adhere to DEFA's Welfare Code for Sheep which is based on the five freedoms. The recommendations in the Code help producers meet the requirements of the Animal Health Act and Welfare of Farm Animals Order. The following are the recommendations in the Code which would be very difficult to adhere to without housing:
Biosecurity is another essential component of managing a sheep flock. To ensure biosecurity is maximised requires farmers having the ability to isolate sheep that are brought onto the farm for a period to ensure they are not suffering or are carriers of any diseases as well as facilities for segregating sick animals.
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The very small amount of farmyard manure which may be produced from having livestock in the mobile field stable/shelter would be put back onto the land and thereby improving soil fertility and organic matter.
Planning Policy
The following policies are relevant to the application:
General Policy 3: Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:
Agricultural buildings are required on the Isle of Man to ensure that animal welfare standards are maintained, and equipment and materials are stored securely. A planning application was submitted by the applicant on 1st August 2018 for a purpose-built permanent building which was refused at appeal. Although the mobile field stable/shelter will not enable the farming business to grow as anticipated, it will ensure that the farm can be managed in a safe and secure way.
Environment Policy 1: 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.
The Isle of Man government is committed to growing the food industry (Food Matters: A development strategy to grow the economic contribution of Isle of Man Food and Drink from 2015 to 2025) and the government also has a policy to encourage the effective utilisation of the Island's land and sea resources by the most efficient means to secure the optimum economic benefits, whilst having due regard to biodiversity, sustainability, climate change and energy issues facing the Island (https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/environment-food-and-agriculture/policy-enforcement-and-data-searches/).
Environment Policy 2: 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:
The stable/field shelter is mobile and at any one time will be located in such a place to ensure that the character and quality of the landscape is not inadvertently affected.
Environmental Policy 15: Where the Department is satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building, sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside, and that the impact of this development including buildings, accesses, servicing etc. is acceptable, such development must be sited as close as is 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 a part. Only in exceptional circumstances will buildings be permitted in exposed or isolated areas or close to public highways and in all such cases will be subject to appropriate landscaping. The nature and materials of construction must also be appropriate to the purposes for which it is intended. Where new agricultural buildings are proposed next to or close to existing residential properties, care must be taken to ensure that there is no unacceptable adverse impact through any activity, although it must be borne in mind that many farming activities require buildings which are best sited, in landscape terms, close to existing building groups in the rural landscape. There are no other buildings or dwelling associated with the land and although to fulfil Policy 15 the mobile field stable/shelter should be located adjacent to the properties Thalloo Mitchell or Thalloo-Ree, it is accepted that this would not be fair to the occupants so consideration will always be given to the neighbours when they are moved to new locations on the farm.
The applicant has indicated that he has no problem with conditions being placed on the mobile field stable/shelter restricting their use solely for agriculture.
The applicant has the ability and knowledge to run a farming business producing top quality lambs for the local market if given the opportunity. The planning application for the erection of a mobile stable/shelter is being submitted solely to ensure that the applicant can continue farming and to manage his sheep flock in a way to ensure that all relevant codes, legislation and other agricultural standards can be adhered to as well as security for his agricultural equipment.
With the recent economic difficulties of farming on the Isle of Man and the uncertainty of the agricultural industry with Brexit, it is crucial that those who can invest in the industry are encouraged to do so for the future of the whole of the Manx Agricultural Industry.
In conclusion, there is no doubt that the mobile field stable/shelter is essential for managing the farming business at a time when farmers must prove to government, abattoirs, retailers and consumers that they are farming to specific high standards.
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