2 July 2020 · Delegated - Head of Development Management (Stephen Butler)
1 Brookfield, Little Mill Road, Onchan, Isle Of Man, IM4 5bf
The proposal involves internal alterations to an existing detached barn in the rear garden of a semi-detached dwelling, including removing partitions, creating a WC, replacing doors and rooflights, and minor external changes like a new stable door and widened sliding door, to form a home office, utility area, and WC.
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The officer assessed the principle of converting the existing barn as acceptable because it is ancillary to the established residential use, concealed behind the main dwelling and from public views or…
General Policy 3
Restricts development outside zoned areas except for conversions of redundant rural buildings of value or previously developed land improving landscape. Officer applied exception (b) for rural building conversion, finding minor alterations acceptable in countryside context without harm.
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site/surroundings in siting, scale, design; no adverse landscape, amenity, or access impacts. Proposal satisfied as alterations respect barn character, screened from views, provide satisfactory amenity, and ancillary to residential use.
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside from adverse development unless overriding need. No adverse countryside impact found due to concealed location, negligible changes, and low ecology risk.
Environment Policy 2
Protects High Landscape Value areas unless no harm to character. Alterations do not harm landscape character due to screening and minimal external changes.
Environment Policy 16
Permits reuse of rural buildings if redundant, structurally sound, no extension/adverse change, low traffic. Barn met criteria: intact, no extension needed, preserves fabric, ancillary use avoids traffic/dispersal issues.
Time limit
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.
Use restriction - home office only
The converted barn hereby approved shall only be used as a home office space and must not be used for general living or sleeping purposes. Reason: To prevent any segregation of the site resulting in future expansion and/or increase in traffic in the area and to ensure that the approval extends only to what was applied for.
Use by occupants only
The home office hereby approved shall only be used by the occupants of '1 Brookfield', Little Mill Road, Onchan for the purposes set out in Condition 2. Reason: To prevent future segregation of the site.
do not oppose
risk to bats is low and therefore will not be requesting further bat surveys
the application be approved for planning purposes only
DEFA Biodiversity initially raised bat roost concerns but later confirmed low risk with no further surveys required after receiving additional information; Highways Division do not oppose; Onchan District Commissioners recommend approval.
DEFA Biodiversity
No ObjectionThe risk to bats is determined to be low and therefore I do not require any further information and will not be requesting further bats surveys.
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionDo not oppose; DNO
Onchan District Commissioners
SupportThe Commissioners would recommend that the application be APPROVED for planning purposes only.
