DEC Officer Report

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Application No.: 22/00846/B Applicant: Mr Brain McManus Proposal: Erection of polytunnel Site Address: Upper Sulby Farmhouse Scollag Road Hillberry Onchan Isle Of Man IM4 5BT Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 15.02.2023

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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. The polytunnel hereby approved shall be removed and the ground restored to its former condition in the event that it is no longer used or required for agricultural/horticultural purposes for a period exceeding 12 months.

Reason: The building has been exceptionally approved solely to meet agricultural/horticultural need and its subsequent retention would result in an unwarranted intrusion in the countryside.

• C 3. The polytunnel must be used only for agricultural/ horticultural purposes only.

Reason: The countryside is protected from development and an exception is being made on the basis of agricultural/horticultural need. As such the polytunnel must be used for the purposes for which it is approved.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. This approval is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the documents and drawing no 101 which have been received on 18th July 2022 and drawing no. 100A which has been received on 13th January 2023. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

None _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The site is Upper Sulby Farm, Scollag Road, Onchan. The redline boundary surrounds land for agricultural use.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The proposal is the erection of polytunnel. The polytunnel is for agricultural use. The applicants indicate; "For confirmation, the polytunnel is to be used for agricultural use to grow honeyberries.

The amount required and the way in which they are to be grown has dictated the size of the proposed polytunnel."

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 There is no previous application considered materially relevant to this application.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY Site Specific

4.1 The site is within not within an area designated for development. Strategic Policy - 4.2 The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains the following policies that are considered materially relevant to the assessment of this current planning application:

• o Strategic Policy 5
• o General Policy 2 (b) (c) (g) (m) (n)
• o General Policy 3

PPS and NPD

4.3 No Planning Policy Statement or National Policy Directive is applicable to this application.

5.0 OTHER MATERIAL CONSIDERATIONS Strategy and Guidance

5.1 There is no strategy or guidance considered materially relevant to this application. - 6.0 REPRESENTATIONS

6.1 Onchan District Council has no objection to this application (10.08.2022).

6.2 DoI Highway Services states there is no highway interest in this application (07.07.2022). - 7.0 ASSESSMENT

7.1 The key considerations of this application are its impact on the character and streetscene of the area and on trees. Character and Street Scene

7.2 The polytunnel will be shield by existing trees so it is considered that there is no negative impact on the character and streetscene of the area. Tree

7.3 Given its structure, the impact of the polytunnel on tree roots should be minimum. It is considered that there is no impact on the trees near the area. - 8.0 CONCLUSION

8.1 The proposal is considered to comply with General Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan. Therefore, it is recommended for an approval. - 9.0 INTEREST PERSON STATUS

9.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf);
• (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure;
• (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material;
• (f) the local authority in whose district the land which the subject of the application is situated; and
• (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 9.2 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 above 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 and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 24.02.2023 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Principal Planner

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