1 January 1994 · Governor in Council
Ballachrink To Billown. Braddan/Santon/Malew.
The application involved erecting around 10km of 33kV overhead electricity line on poles through rural countryside, crossing areas of high landscape value and scenic significance, public roads, and affecting mature trees.
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The Governor in Council approved the application after considering the report of the Inspector appointed to inquire into it, overriding initial planning officer recommendations for refusal based on De…
Development Plan Order - avoidance of overhead services
Requires regard to avoidance of overhead services; officers applied strictly, recommending refusal as cables adversely affect rural visual amenities, especially in high landscape areas, and undergrounding feasible. Governor in Council approved with mitigation conditions despite policy tension.
Development Plan Order - avoidance of overhead services
Requires avoidance of skyline development; route crosses high land visible from roads, exacerbating visual impact in scenic areas, leading to officer refusal recommendation. Conditions allow route variations within 100m corridor to minimise.
Development Plan Order - character, amenities, land uses
Requires regard to character, amenities, existing/future land uses; proposal harms rural amenities through unsightly poles in high landscape zones and affects farming. Balanced by public utility need and tree replacement.
Approved route with modifications
This approval relates to the route shown on the submitted plan no. 361/3Q4/1, except as modified by: (a) "Document 6" in the vicinity of Ballavell; (b) "Document 6" in the vicinity of Ballakissack, and (c) Condition (2) below.
Route variation corridor
The route of the proposed line may be varied within a corridor 100m wide, centred on the route defined in (1) above; all such variations must be shown on amended plans which must be submitted to, and approved by, the Planning Committee prior to the construction of that part of the line.
Tree identification and approval
The proposed electricity line and its associated poles, and any consequent excavation works will affect the root systems, trunks, and branches of trees on or alongside the route; the applicant must identify on a plan all such trees, and such plan must be submitted to, and approved by, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Planning Committee prior to the felling, lopping or topping of any such trees.
Tree replacement planting
The applicant must prepare, and submit to the Committee, a scheme of tree planting to replace, at a ratio of 10:1, all trees felled as a consequence of this development; such scheme should give particular attention to the areas of high landscape value and scenic significance crossed by the route; the scheme must be approved by the Committee prior to any tree felling taking place.
Separate applications for buildings
Any building, permanent plant or associated paving and fencing must form the subject of separate detailed planning applications.
Highway clearance consultation
The applicant is advised to consult the Department of Highways, Ports and Properties with regard to the clearance from any public highways crossed by the cables.
Archaeological notification
The Manx Museum and National Trust must be informed of the date when building work is to commence and given adequate opportunity to inspect the site from the commencement of earth movement and during the excavation of all trenches (including services trenches) as deemed necessary and investigating any archaeological and geological features exposed, to the satisfaction of the Committee.
support the application due to statutory duties, increasing electricity demands, and need for strengthened supply to south
supports application; undergrounding reckless given minimal environmental impact and need for economic supply
provisional agreement on 10:1 tree replacement; careful siting to minimise effects
Public representations and limited statutory responses to the 33kV overhead line application include objections from Malew Parish Commissioners, Braddan Parish Commissioners support, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry conditional agreement on tree replacement, and D…
Key concern: detrimental visual impact on high landscape value and scenic significance area
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Conditional No ObjectionProvisional agreement has been reached with the authority regarding replacement of trees removed. This would cover the funding of replacement planting at a ratio of 10:1; the maintenance of the new planting would be similarly covered until the new planting was fully established.
Conditions requested: replacement of trees removed at a ratio of 10:1 with funding and maintenance until fully established covered by the authority; details of the species, size and number of replacement trees would be agreed between the Authority, landowner and Forestry Division
Department of Industry
SupportThe Department supports the Authority in its application; to insist on the extra expenditure which an underground cable would involve would be reckless and unjustifiable given the minimal impact the proposed line would have on the environment.
Braddan Parish Commissioners
SupportThe Commissioners, being aware of the statutory duties placed on the Authority and the increasing demands for electricity, support the application.
Malew Parish Commissioners
ObjectionBy a majority decision however, the Board objects to the current application on the grounds that:- The route suggested by the M.E.A. is unacceptable due to the detrimental visual impact of overhead wires and their attendant support poles and insulators.
The original application (89/00566/B) for construction of a 33KV overhead line was subject to a special inquiry under the Town and Country Planning Act 1981 due to objections. The Manx Electricity Authority argued necessity for reinforcing supply to the south, rejecting alternatives like rebuilding existing lines or using railway routes due to technical and cost issues. The inspector conducted accompanied inspections and analyzed visual impact, costs, technical advantages of overhead vs underground cables, health concerns, and route selection. He found the overhead line preferable given the vast cost difference (£325,000 vs £2,520,000), shorter construction/repair times, and acceptable visual impact in the broken countryside. Consent was recommended with agreed route deviations, 50m tolerance, and conditions on tree felling and cultural heritage.
Precedent Value
Demonstrates that for essential infrastructure, technical necessity, cost differences, and supply reliability can outweigh visual amenity concerns in rural areas, provided routes minimise impacts. Future applicants should provide robust costings, fault repair analysis, and route justification.
Inspector: R.G. Anstee
