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20/00675/B Page 1 of 6
PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 20/00675/B Applicant : Mr John Cormode Proposal : Erection of an agricultural workers dwelling with associated farm office Site Address : Ballacamaine Farm Ballacorey Road Bride Isle Of Man IM7 4AW
Senior Planning Officer: Mr Jason Singleton Photo Taken :
Site Visit : 02.09.2020 Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 14.09.2020 __
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 occupation of the dwelling hereby approved shall be limited to a person engaged or last engaged solely in agriculture on the Isle of Man, and any resident dependants or a widow or widower of such a person.
Reason: The site is in an area where new dwellings are not normally approved except where an agricultural need has been established and accepted by the Department.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. This application is recommended for approval, as it would not harm the wider environment through any visual impact and would be read in accordance with Strategic Policy 5, General Policy 3(f), Housing Policy 7, 8 ,9, 10 and Environment Policy 1 and 15.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawings referenced; 100-B, 101, 102, 201-C, 202, 2001F-01, all date stamped received on 17 August 2020. __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
None
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Officer’s Report
THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE AT TE REQUEST OF THE HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application forms part of the curtilage of Ballacamaine Farm, Ballacorey Road, Bride. The farm is accessed along a private track approx. 300m long and is set back 170m from the Ballacorey Road with a field in between the two.
1.2 Ballacamaine Farm is a family farm which extends to 103 acres, with the main farm sitting to the centre of the land holding. All the farmed land is owner occupied, with 34 beef cows, 1 bull, 6 in calf heifers, 35 suckling and 21 older calves.
1.3 The proposed site is within the complex of existing agricultural buildings. The current buildings are;
1.4 The original farm house, 2 stories high with a side annex which faces east towards the access road into the site but is now redundant, is of tradition al form and construction and was last occupied in the early 1960's. The larger agricultural barn is now built immediately on the rear of this building.
1.5 The current farmhouse is a Cambar bungalow, (1973) located to the east of the dwellinghouse which was built as an agricultural workers accommodation by the then Local Government Board and sold back to the farm in the late 1980's when it was agreed the restoration and reuse of the original farmhouse was uneconomic given its condition.
1.6 A redundant milking parlour / calving shed, located to the south of the original farm house (approx. 5m away) built in the 1990s of single brick walls and corrugated roof, has fallen redundant since the farm switched from dairy farming to beef farming.
1.7 The main barn located to the rear of the original farm house and a further barn/shed are currently used for the housing of cattle, calves. To the north of the original farm house is a more modern farming barn used for winterising of cattle.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the demolition of an existing unused farmhouse with annexe and milking parlour and the erection of a detached 4 bedroom dwellinghouse with farm office with a floor are of 225sqm .
2.2 The family wish to build a house on the farm so that the farmer's son can live on site with his family and young children to assist with, and eventually take over the running of the farm.
2.3 The location of the proposed new dwelling would be built over the existing footprint of the milking parlour and the original farm house, following their demolition. The proposed dwellinghouse would be 2 stories high with bedrooms on the lower floor and reception rooms on the upper floor. The internal layout would feature the usual array of rooms with 4 bedrooms, lounge, kitchen / dining room with an externally accessible office. The orientation of the property would see the front elevation facing east towards the access into the farm and has taken the design inspiration from Planning Circular 3/91.
2.4 The application drawings for the replacement dwelling is also accompanied by a report by Agricultural Consultancy Limited that explains how the applicant is an agricultural worker and how his employment on site for the succession of farming is essential. The report
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highlights the need for the farming business currently generates a labour demand of 0.56 standard labour units.
2.5 The original farmhouse was considered for conversion but given the poor state of repair and integrity of the structure, twinned with how the farm has wrapped around the building would not make it suitable to the operation of the farm or for residential amenities, and therefore has been discounted. The applicant has stated; " they have looked for a suitable dwelling in the nearby area but without much luck. There are mainly farm tied workers dwellings within a 3 mile radius of Ballacarmaine Farm, but nothing available or within a farm workers price range".
3.0 PLANNING POLICY 3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is within an area recognised as being an area of 'white land', under the Isle of Man Development Plan Order 1982. The site is not within a Conservation Area; nor within an area zoned as High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance.
Within the adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016, the following policies are considered to be relevant in the determination of this application:
3.2 Spatial Policy 5
New development will be located within the defined settlements. Development will only be permitted in the countryside in accordance with General Policy 3
3.3 General Policy 3 (in part) Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of: (a) essential housing for agricultural workers who have to live close to their place of work; (Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10);
3.4 Environment Policy 1 The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over- riding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative.
3.5 Environment Policy 15 Where the Department is satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building (including a dwelling), sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside, and that the impact of this development including buildings, accesses, servicing etc. is acceptable, such development must be sited as close as is practically possible to existing building groups and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour, siting and form to ensure that all new developments are sympathetic to the landscape and built environment of which they will form a part. Only in exceptional circumstances will buildings be permitted in exposed or isolated areas or close to public highways and in all such cases will be subject to appropriate landscaping. The nature and materials of construction must also be appropriate to the purposes for which it is intended. Where new agricultural buildings are proposed next to or close to existing residential properties, care must be taken to ensure that there is no unacceptable adverse impact through any activity, although it must be borne in mind that many farming activities require buildings which are best sited, in landscape terms, close to existing building groups in the rural landscape.
3.6 Housing Policy 7
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New agricultural dwellings will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances where real agricultural need is demonstrated.
3.7 Housing Policy 8 Where permission is granted for an agricultural dwelling, a condition will be attached restricting the occupation to a person engaged or last engaged solely in agriculture; or a widow or widower of such a person, or any resident dependants.
3.8 Housing Policy 9 Where permission is granted for an agricultural dwelling, the dwelling must be sited such that; (a) it is within or immediately adjoining the main group of farm buildings or a group of farm buildings associated with that farm, (b) it is well set back from any public highway, and (c) it is approached via the existing farm access.
3.9 Housing Policy 10 Where permission is granted for an agricultural dwelling, the dwelling should normally be designed in accordance with policies 1- 7 of present Planning Circular 3/91 which will be revised and issued as a Planning Policy Statement.
3.5 Other Material Considerations The Department has recently published the Residential Design Guidance (March 2019) which provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential property. This includes specific guidance on rear and side extensions in Section 4.0 titled; Types of House Holder Extension.
4.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Bride Parish Commissioners were written to on the 14/07/20 inviting comments and at the time of writing have not commented.
5.2 Highways Services have commented (22/07/20) and do not object
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are the; (i) Essential need for the agricultural building SP5, GP3(f), HP7, HP8; (ii) Visual impact on the surrounding area, (EP1, EP15,) (iii) Design of the proposed (HP9, HP10)
(i) Essential need 6.2 The starting point here is General Policy 3 paragraph F which allows for an essential housing for agricultural workers. The applicant has provided details to confirm that they own and work the land of Ballacamaine Farm and the 103 acres of land. The applicant's parents (71 & 67 years old) continue to farm the land but are now of an age where they are choosing to step back from the running of the farm and support their son and his wife and family with their farming career. The parents will continue to reside on the farm and retract from the day to day farming duties but will continue to support their farming career. This will allow for succession planning for the next generation from father to son.
6.3 From the supporting information the applicant clearly owns a moderate head of cattle with 34 beef cows, 1 bull, 6 in-calf heifers, 35 suckling calves and 21 older calves totalling 97 animals at the farm. Within the application the applicant has the desire to develop the business
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further by the introduction of calf rearing business rearing 50 calves a year for onward sale and a 500 bird egg laying business as well as growing 5 acres of vegetables to supply a local demand. The agricultural report highlights the labour requirement would then increase to 1.27 standard labour hours and during the calving season would be required on site / live on the farm for the 6 month period for the calving season.
6.4 The preference on site would have been the reuse of the original farm house or outbuildings with some conversion and adaption of the building in accordance with Housing Policy 12 & 13. If this was the case there would be a large agricultural barn building adjoining the house at the rear. This would in itself make it difficult to (a) renovate and (b) would give the occupants of the house an unsavoury living condition which would not be acceptable for living or for the working of the farm.
6.5 Whilst the proposed building would be larger than the original farmhouse, and would replace a number of buildings on site, this could be considered an improvement on site. This would be seen as a replacement building as opposed to an additional structure on site which can be conditioned to ensure the occupation of the new property coincides with the working of the farm. It should be noted that if an application sought to convert the existing buildings on site, then an agricultural workers condition would unlikely be attached.
6.6 The principle of an additional dwellinghouse on an existing active farm would be acceptable, the need for additional labour on site has been justified and on balance this aspect is deemed to be in accordance with Spatial Policy 5, General Policy 3(f) and Housing Policy 7 & 8.
(ii) Visual impact 6.7 Turning to the appearance of the proposed dwellinghouse on the surrounding area, as previously noted the location of the property is to replace an existing two storey building, the farm buildings are set back a significant distance from the highway and the footprint of the new buildings would overlap the existing to ensure it remains in close proximity to the existing building group. In this instance the proposed two storey dwellinghouse would create a neutral impact on the countryside and would be read in the context of the existing collection of farm buildings in accordance with Environmental Policy 1 and 15.
(iii) Design of the proposed
The proposed dwellinghouse would be of a form and appearance taken from Planning Circular 3/91 - Guide to the design of residential development in the countryside. The building would be 225sqm and would not be much larger than the farmhouse it replaces. The building would be access from the main access from the highways which serves the current house and would be adjacent to the existing barns and in close proximity to the parent's bungalow. The proposed design would see an incorporated flat roof extension to the west elevation, creating a viewing platform with offices below. This aspect is not considered to be detrimental to the overall appearance of the dwellinghouse and would be an acceptable form of development. In this instance the proposed design would be in accordance with Housing Policy 9 & 10.
7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 For the above reasons, on balance, this application is recommended for approval, as it would not harm the wider environment through any visual impact and would be read in accordance with Strategic Policy 5, General Policy 3(f), Housing Policy 7,8,9,10 and Environment Policy 1 and 15.
8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 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);
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(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 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.
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 above who should be given Interested Person Status __
I confirm that this decision has been made by the Planning Committee in accordance with the authority afforded to it under the appropriate delegated authority.
Decision Made : Permitted
Committee Meeting Date: 21.09.2020
Signed : J SINGLETON Presenting Officer
Further to the decision of the Committee an additional report/condition reason was required (included as supplemental paragraph to the officer report).
Signatory to delete as appropriate YES/NO See below
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