Officer Report

Application No.: 18/00855/B Applicant: Island Aggregates Ltd Proposal: Installation of two replacement 100 Tonne dry cement storage silos Site Address: Site at Oatlands Quarry Santon Depot Oatlands Road Santon Isle of Man Principal Planner: Miss S E Corlett Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 10.09.2018 _________________________________________________________________

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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.

• C 2. Within two months of erection, the silos must be painted dark green, sample of which colour must be approved by the Department prior to its application and the silos must be retained as such thereafter. Reason: To ensure that the silos have as reduced an impact in the landscape as is possible. Plans/Drawings/Information:

This decision relates to the drawings and information received on 9th August, 2018. _______________________________________________________________

Interested Person Status

Additional Persons

none _____________________________________________________________________________

Officer’s Report

THE SITE

1.1 The site is the curtilage of an existing concrete plant which lies on the south western side of Oatlands Road to the rear of Oatlands Farm. Access to the site is from Oatlands Road, to the north of Oatlands Farm and along a lane which also serves the area to the north which accommodates buildings used for storage in association with agriculture and the quarry which is not presently operational. - 1.2 The concrete plant accommodates a number of buildings within a generally hard surfaced area and includes a relatively tall structure which is visible from the Old Castletown Road (A25). There is a line of evergreen trees along the south eastern boundary of the site. Planning approval has recently been granted for the extension of the curtilage to incorporate an area of adjacent field which is to be hard surfaced and used for the preparation of concrete blocks (see Planning History). THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Proposed is the replacement of the two existing silos with "identical" structures in the same position and on the same level. The technical information provided illustrates that the silos will be 13m tall, 3.8m diametre with railings around the top and an access ladder up one site. The silos each sit on a metal support frame. - 2.2 There are no elevations or drawings of the existing to demonstrate that the existing are also of these dimensions. The Island's digital mapping shows the silos being of the diametre shown in the application. The photographs show structures with five sections, the application drawings show four. The existing silos are a dark green colour.

PLANNING POLICY

3.1 The site lies within an area designated on The Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982 as not designated for a particular purpose and within a wider area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. The quarry is picked out as an Area for Reclamation.

3.2 As such, there is a presumption against development here and the landscape is protected for its own sake as set out in Environment Policies 1 and 2 where the impact on the landscape is a particularly important determining factor. Exceptions to this stance are set out in General Policy 3 but the activities proposed do not fall within any of the categories listed. - 3.3 The draft Landscape Character Appraisal identifies the site as within an area of Incised Slopes - Santon. Within this area certain negative landscape features are identified, including the radio masts at Douglas Head and the Energy From Waste Plant chimney but no reference is made to the existing plant at Oatlands. The landscape guidance includes avoidance of anything which would intrude into the moderate sense of tranquillity and the existing field pattern and anything which would represent skyline development. - 3.4 The Strategic Plan contains advice about developments which may be potentially pollutive:

• 7.17.1 It is important to protect the environment and quality of life by controlling development which would lead to unacceptable levels of water pollution, air pollution and other nuisances such as noise and smells. However, it is not the role of land use planning to duplicate controls which are the statutory responsibility of other agencies including other directorates within the Department of Local Government and the Environment. It is the intention of the following policy to prevent development which would unacceptably impact upon current and future land uses through the effects of pollution.

Environment Policy 22: Development will not be permitted where it would unacceptably harm the environment and/or the amenity of nearby properties in terms of:

• i) pollution of sea, surface water or groundwater;

• ii) emissions of airborne pollutants; and
• iii) vibration, odour, noise or light pollution.

PLANNING HISTORY

4.1 The existing operation has been the subject of a number of applications for plant and buildings as well as the surrounding area where the existing sheds are situated. The mortar making equipment was renewed under a permission granted for 00/00336/B. Most recently, planning approval has been granted for a water borehole (16/00964/B) and the concrete block making facility (17/00810/B). REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services indicate that they do not oppose the application, stating "The application states that the use of the site would not change and the proposal is to replace the existing facility at the same location on the site. There would be no change to the site access and parking arrangements. It is anticipated that the proposal would not generate any additional traffic movements, apart from during the construction phase, and therefore no new highway issues should arise from the proposals. Highway Services does not oppose the application (07.09.18). ASSESSMENT - 6.1 The issues here are whether the proposed development would have any adverse visual or environmental impact and if so, if there are any other material reasons why these concerns should be over-ridden. Whilst the site is not designated for development, the site has a lawful use for the manufacture of concrete and this is the starting point for any assessment. It is also highly relevant that the existing silos are in situ and visible from the A25 and Oatlands Roads.

6.2 The proposed silos are to be identical to those to be replaced and positioned in the same place at the same level. There will therefore be no change in visual impact. It is important that they are coloured dark green to match not only the existing silos but also the backdrop of the conifers. There are no emissions from the silos which are to be used for storage of cement. - 7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 Given that there would be no demonstrable harm from the proposal for equipment in conjunction with the lawful operations on the site and the benefits which would accrue, the application is recommended for approval. - 8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considers material
• (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and
• (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 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 in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by the Head of Development Management in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date : 14.09.2018 Determining officer

Signed : S BUTLER Stephen Butler Head of Development Management

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