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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 20/01225/B Applicant : Mr Chris & Mrs Annie Eaton Proposal : Conversion of existing barn to ancillary accommodation Site Address : Ballacurn Keil House Ballacurn Road Ballaugh Isle Of Man IM7 5EU
Senior Planning Officer: Mr Jason Singleton Photo Taken :
Site Visit : 08.12.2020 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.12.2020 __
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 conversion of the existing barn hereby approved shall not be occupied at any time other than for purposes incidental to the residential use of the dwelling at Ballacurn Keil House, Ballacurn Road, Ballaugh as identified on the approved plans and shall not be occupied as an independent dwelling unit.
Reason: To ensure proper control of the development and to avoid any future undesirable fragmentation of the curtilage.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The planning application would comply with the exception in General Policy 3, which in turn meets the test of Housing policy 4 and 11 and would not harm the character of the countryside in accordance with Environmental Policy 1, and highway safety is in accordance with Transport Policy 4 and 7, and is recommended for approval.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to drawing referenced; 997.02 date stamped received on 16 October 2020. __
Interested Person Status - Additional Persons
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None __
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site forms the residential curtilage of Ballacurn Keil House, Ballacurn Road, Ballaugh which is a large two storey detached property, located on the western side of the Ballacurn Road, and southeast of the Ballaugh Village. The property sits in an isolated rural location in the uplands above Ballaugh. The main dwellinghouse has undergone significant adaptions and extension to provide a generous sized dwelling house.
1.2 Within the curtilage is a collection of detached out buildings within close proximity of each other. A two storey barn, a two storey tholtan, single storey garage / utility, all located to the north west of the dwellinghouse conjoined by the driveway and a central parking area that offers ample parking and turning areas on the hardstanding. All the outbuildings are of Manx stone construction and recently re-roofed (with planning consent).
1.3 The barn is currently used as a games area with an open plan layout with a mezzanine over half of the floor area. The building is finished in
2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the conversion of existing barn to ancillary accommodation.
2.2 The scope of works would see internal reconfiguration to provide an unconventional floor plan featuring an open plan lounge kitchen dining to the first floor and two bedrooms and bathroom to the ground floor with a utility / boot room.
2.3 Externally the proposal would see the erection of a single storey lean-to extension (3.6m x 2.1m) to the east elevation; the north gable wold be opened up to provide a set of patio door and glazed side elements to both floors and a Juliet glazed balcony to the first floor. Also proposed are small alteration to create window reveals to the east elevation and three heritage velux roof lights.
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.
3.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains a number of policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.
3.3 Strategic Policy 2 New development will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions(2) of these towns and villages. Development will be permitted in the countryside only in exceptional circumstances identified in paragraph 6.3.
3.4 Strategic Policy 10
New development should be located and designed such as to promote a more integrated transport network with the aim to: (a) minimise journeys, especially by private car; (b) make best use of public transport; (c) not adversely affect highway safety for all users, and (d) encourage pedestrian movement
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3.5 Spatial Policy 4 In the remaining villages development should maintain the existing settlement character and should be of an appropriate scale to meet local needs for housing and limited employment opportunities. These villages are: o Bride o Glen Maye o Sulby o Dalby o BALLAUGH o Ballafesson o Glen Mona o Colby o Baldrine o Ballabeg o Crosby o Newtown o Glen Vine o Strang
3.6 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.
3.7 The relevant parts of General Policy 3 state; "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of: ... (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historic, or social value and interest; (Housing Policy 11);
3.8 Housing Policy 4 New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions of these towns and villages where identified in adopted Area Plans: otherwise new housing will be permitted in the countryside only in the following exceptional circumstances: (a) essential housing for agricultural workers in accordance with Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10; (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings in accordance with Housing Policy 11; and (c) the replacement of existing rural dwellings and abandoned dwellings in accordance with Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14."
3.9 Housing Policy 11 states: Conversion of existing rural buildings into dwellings may be permitted, but only where: (a) redundancy for the original use can be established; (b) the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation; (c) the building is of architectural, historic, or social interest; (d) the building is large enough to form a satisfactory dwelling, either as it stands or with modest, subordinate extension which does not affect adversely the character or interest of the building; (e) residential use would not be incompatible with adjoining established uses or, where appropriate, land-use zonings on the area plan; and (f) the building is or can be provided with satisfactory services without unreasonable public expenditure.
Such conversion must: (a) where practicable and desirable, re-establish the original appearance of the building; and (b) use the same materials as those in the existing building.
Permission will not be given for the rebuilding of ruins or the erection of replacement buildings of similar, or even identical, form.
Further extension of converted rural buildings will not usually be permitted, since this would lead to loss or reduction of the original interest and character.
3.10 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-
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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.
3.11 Transport Policy 4 The new and existing highways which serve any new development must be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the environmental objectives of this plan.
3.12 Transport Policy 7 The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards.
4.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 13/00592/B - (PA's 10/00179B and 11/00799B, retrospective) including the erection of pitched roof to the existing garage and Tholtan/Barn and re-roofing and repair of the existing 2 storey barn.
4.2 10/00179/B - Alterations and erection of extensions to dwelling house - APPROVED
4.3 11/00799/B - Erection of an extension to dwelling - APPROVED
5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Parish commissioners were wrote to on the 23 October 2020 and at the time of writing no comments had been received.
5.2 Highways Services initially commented (09/11/20) commented seeking an understanding for parking for six vehicles, bicycle parking and Electric vehicle charging point, also the access road and internal driveway are narrow.
6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are; (i) the broad location of the development - Strategic Policies 2; 10 and Spatial Policy 3; 5. (ii) whether exceptional circumstances exist to the principle of development within the countryside - General Policy 3(b), Housing Policy 11, Housing Policy 4.
(iii) the level of impact on the countryside in general and the Area of High Landscape Value
(iv) Impact on the highway safety and parking (TP4&7)
(i) The broad location of the development 6.2 The starting point here is the land designation, it is clear from the Development plan, the application site is within a rural and protected part of the countryside where any development is strictly controlled. The barn is physically detached from the dwellinghouse and sits approx. 25m to the north across the parking area. Given the size and footprint twinned with its close proximity to the main dwellinghouse, it is questionable whether this could be capable of being annexed off from the dwellinghouse, and its curtilage, to viably operate on its own with no linkage or dependency to the main dwellinghouse. The application for the alterations to the barn and creating ancillary accommodation above is to be assessed against the planning policies as if it were a new residential property in the countryside.
6.3 In considering this application, Strategic Policy 2 and Spatial Policy 4 identify areas of development to be located, generally within existing towns and villages. Ballaugh is named as a service village however this part of Ballaugh is just east of Ballaugh bridge and the main residential area / village of Ballaugh. However, this site is within an area of countryside and
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approx. 1km from the Main Highway to the north but then only 500m to Ballaugh Bridge and the village where there is a bus stop at Ballaugh Bridge, Spar shop and a Public House. By virtue of the location of the application site, it would be considered to be broadly in accordance with Strategic Policy 10 and its aims to promote integrated transport network through (a)-(d).
6.4 Through Strategic Policy 2 and Spatial Policy 5, development in the countryside is only permitted in exceptional circumstances, as detailed in paragraph 6.3 of the Strategic Plan, which is General Policy 3 as referenced in Spatial Policy 5. However, when assessed against Spatial Policy 5 and Strategic Policy 2 and Strategic Policy 10 of the Strategic Plan it is considered that the proposal could be a sustainable location for 'development' and would accord to those policies, given the distance from the village amenities, if an exception is not achievable through GP3.
(ii) Whether exceptional circumstances exist to the principle of development within the countryside. 6.5 In terms of planning policy there is a long established presumption against new residential development in the countryside. General Policy 3(b), and Housing Policy 11 all provide for the conversion of buildings within the countryside subject to various caveats, including that the building is redundant and of architectural, historic or social value.
6.6 When considering HP11, In this case it is accepted the existing building is redundant from use, but maintained for visual aesthetics of the residential character - a). Moving on, the building appears to be structurally intact, the 4 Manx stone walls are standing and the roof is intact (previous planning consent), it appears capable of internal reconfiguration especially being two storey which can be easily accomplished with little interference to the outside fabric
(iii) the level of visual impact on the countryside 6.7 In most cases the creation of ancillary accommodation is attached to the dwellinghouse or in such close proximity that it could not be conceivably separated into two independent planning units. In this case, the proposal is seeking to utilise and existing structure and bring it into a habitable use preserving the character, in turn this would be considered to have no detrimental impact on this part of the countryside given the existence of the building.
(iv) Highways Impact 6.8 With regard to the parking and access, highways comments are noted and the requirement for bicycle storage and electric charging points can be accommodated within the existing garage if required by the applicants. The access road leading up to the property is a publically adopted road which terminates at the entrance to this property, effectively the highest property on the lane way. From here there is a private driveway to the main house and buildings. Central to these buildings is gravel bound area/ driveway that at the time of the site visit accommodated 4 vehicles with space to turn around. Highways requirement for an additional two vehicles could easily be accommodated within the existing hard standing area without limiting vehicle movements. On balance this aspect would accord with TP4 & TP7.
7.0 CONCLUSION
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7.1 For the above reasons, it is concluded that the planning application would comply the exception in with General Policy 3, which in turn meets the test of Housing policy 4 and 11 and would not harm the character of the countryside in accordance with Environmental Policy 1, and parking in accordance with Transport Policy 4 and 7, which is recommended for approval.
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); (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 can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status.
Decision Made : Permitted
Date: 15.12.2020
Determining officer
Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
Principal Planner
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