Mr Glassey operates a smallholding from Field 430539 on the Ballamodha Straight, referred to as 'the Top Yard', which provides him with his sole form of income. He also owns Field 434756 further down the Ballamodha Straight, referred to as 'the Bottom Field'.
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Mr Glassey grazes his animals on both fields, moving them between the two sites along the lane which runs to the east of, and parallel to, the Ballamodha Straight. Silage for the animals is stored on the hardstanding in the Bottom Field, which he transports up to the Top Yard along the Ballamodha Straight as and when required. Manure and waste bedding materials are moved from the Top Yard down to the Bottom Field also via the Ballamodha Straight where it is stored prior to disposal.
Mr Glassey has an animal shelter in the Top Yard in which during the Winter months he houses his stock. However, the recent persistently wet weather has resulted in difficult working conditions for Mr Glassey and unhealthy conditions for the animals themselves due to the amount of waste materials and manure produced by them as they have had to be sheltered for a longer period than usual. Attached are copies of photographs illustrating the conditions, one photograph showing the temporary shelter Mr Glassey rigged up for his bull which had to be housed separately from the cows.
As there is no space available for another animal shelter in the Top Yard, having an animal shelter on the Bottom Field would allow Mr Glassey to house some of his animals there in the Winter, which would help improve the difficult conditions experienced in the Top Yard and also reduce the number of vehicle movements made between the two sites along the Ballamodha Straight. It would also provide Mr Glassey with the opportunity to expand his operation and increase his income.
Previous attempts by Mr Glassey to erect an animal shelter on Field 434756 have met with refusal, with objections to his last proposals (12/00688/B) being lodged by the occupiers of Cooyrt Vane, Fern Lea and Ballahaven. Mr Glassey notes that the current occupiers of two of those properties have obtained permission to erect similar buildings to that proposed by himself adjacent to their properties.
Mr Taylor has obtained permission to erect a stables building adjacent to his property, Cooyrt Vane, and alongside the Ballamodha Straight, (17/01228/B), and Mr Corrin of Fern Lea, also on the Ballamodha Straight, has obtained permission to erect an agricultural storage building on Field 434760 (16/00406/B). Encouraged by this, Mr Glassey feels that his own application for an animal shelter on the Bottom Field may now receive the approval of the Planning Committee.
As with Mr Corrin's building, Mr Glassey's proposed animal shelter would be positioned at the bottom of Field 434756, only partially visible from the Ballamodha Straight, and Mr Glassey has previously planted hawthorn hedging and a number of trees around the area of the hardstanding which, when mature, would provide further screening.
Mr Glassey also feels that allowing him to erect the animal shelter, along with having his stock grazing in the field, would help to enhance the image of a thriving agricultural community in this part of the Island.
