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                                                 16/00212/C
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 16/00212/C Applicant : Mr John & Mrs Fiona Anderson Proposal : Use of a redundant barn as a cafe (retrospective) Site Address : Knockaloe Beg Farm Knockaloe Beg Lane Raggatt Peel Isle of Man IM5 3AQ

Case Officer : Miss S E Corlett Photo Taken : 17.03.2016 Site Visit : 17.03.2016 Expected Decision Level : Planning Committee

Officer’s Report

THE APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO COMMITTEE AS THE LOCAL AUTHORITY HAVE RAISED CONCERNS

THE SITE 1.1 The site is the curtilage of Knockaloe Beg Farm, a working farm which also provides tourist accommodation in the form of camping pods in the field to the west of the main farm group as well as accommodation within the farmhouse and converted outbuildings.

1.2 The site lies between Peel Hill and the A4 coast road which leads south from Peel towards Glen Maye. The site is accessed by a narrow farm lane which leads not only to the application site but past and to two further cottages to the north.

1.3 The barn in question is part of the row of buildings behind the farmhouse and is a stone building with no windows.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the use of one of the farm barns to the rear (west) of the farmhouse for catering for those staying in the farm cottages. The food will be cooked within the farmhouse and the arrangement is very informal with chairs and benches and 5 or 6 tables of different sizes. The applicants hope to be open before Easter 2016.

2.2 No changes are proposed to the building, just internal painting. The barn is described as redundant.

PLANNING POLICY 3.1 The site lies within an area designated as Open Space on The Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982 and within a wider area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance.

3.2 As such, there is a presumption against development here although the Strategic Plan supports the re-use of redundant buildings of interest as set out in Environment Policy 16:

"The use of existing rural buildings for new purposes such as tourist or small-scale industrial/commercial use may be permitted where:

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a) it is demonstrated that the building is no longer required for its original purpose and where the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation; b) the reuse of the building will result in the preservation of fabric which is of historic, architectural, or social interest or is otherwise of visual attraction; c) it is demonstrated that the building could accommodate the new use without requiring extension or adverse change to appearance or character; d) there would not be unacceptable implications in terms of traffic generation; a)[sic] conversion does not lead to dispersal of activity on such a scale as to prejudice the vitality and viability of existing town and village services; and f) the use of existing buildings involves significant levels of redevelopment to accommodate the new use, the benefits secured by the proposal in terms of impact on the environment and the rural economy shall outweigh the continued impact of retaining the existing buildings on site.

Proposals to convert rural buildings to residential accommodation will be considered along with the advice given at Section 8.10 of this document."

PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The site has been the subject of a number of applications for the use of the site for tourism, including the following:

14/00460/B - installation of six timber chalets and use of field as camp site - permitted PA 12/00083/C - change of use of barn to tourist accommodation - permitted PA 05/92183/B - alterations to existing barns and outbuildings to form 2 tourist accommodation units - permitted PA 06/02242/B amendment to approved conversion scheme (PA 05/92183/B) - permitted

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services indicate that they do not oppose the application (01.03.16).

5.2 Patrick Parish Commissioners indicate that they support the principle of the application although they are concerned at the access arrangements. They consider the lane is the problem, not the access from the Main Road. The Commissioners would suggest that this lane is signalled, provided with passing places or widened. (17.03.16).

ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key issues in this case are whether the building is worthy of conversion to another use, whether it is redundant and whether the proposed use is compatible with the adjacent uses.

6.2 In respect of the last of these, the use is compatible in that it will complement the range of services available to those staying at the site. The working farm is part of the attraction of Knockaloe Beg as a place to stay and visit, with school parties being able to experience lambing and for people to get close to the animals there.

6.3 The building was not being used on the site visit and there were animals in other buildings nearby. It is accepted that there is no agricultural need for the building.

6.4 The use is considered to be compatible with the adjoining uses - both agricultural and tourism and the application is recommended for approval. If it were ever needed for agricultural purposes in the future, it could be used as such with no changes to the building.

6.5 Whilst Patrick Parish Commissioners indicate that they feel there is a need for signage and improvements to the lane, there are passing places along the lane and part of the charm and attraction of the farm as a place to visit and stay is the natural character of the area which is not cluttered or spoiled with signage. The applicant has not considered it necessary to introduce signage

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and will be familiar with the experience of guests coming to the site and would be aware of a need for signage. As such is it not considered necessary to require additional works to the land or any signage.

PARTY STATUS 7.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, 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, in this case Department of Infrastructure Highway Services and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 29.03.2016

Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal O : Notes attached to refusals

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. The building may be used for the serving of food for those already visiting or staying at the premises and at other times for storage and/or for agricultural purposes.

Reason: the lane serving the site is not suitable for a significant increase in traffic and as such a commercial cafe open to the public would not be acceptable at this site.

N 1.

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No approval is hereby granted to any signage which would need to be approved under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2013 prior to any signage being erected or installed.

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This approval relates to the drawings and illustrations received on 23rd February, 2016.

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 : Approved

Committee Meeting Date: 11.04.2016

Signed : S E Corlett 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

Customer note

This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records.