Officer Report

Application No.: 16/01182/B Applicant: Paul Andrew Melling Proposal: Erection of 2 detached log cabins to provide storage and office accommodation Site Address: Ardwhallin Adventure Centre West Baldwin Isle Of Man IM4 5EU Case Officer : Mr Edmond Riley Photo Taken: 23.11.2016 Site Visit: 23.11.2016 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is an irregularly shaped parcel of land on which is sited the Ardwhallan Adventure Centre buildings and associated educational / activity areas. - 1.2 The site is located at a higher level than the road and the building comes into view when travelling northwards along the B22 highway, but it is more visible from a distance from the nearby and almost parallel Brandywell Road.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the erection of a pair of identical timber storage cabins on the site, each measuring 7.5m in length and 3.6m in width. One would provide storage for "essential equipment" and the other for office space to replace an existing and apparently "inadequate" provision of just over 10sqm. The two buildings, each of which would be sited on existing hardstanding, would have two windows and a door and a shallow pitched roof formed of felt. The windows and door would be timber effect uPVC on the outside, white on the inside. - 2.2 The applicant was contacted seeking further information, and he responded via a telephone conversation. He confirmed that the need for the storage shed proposed arises from to the expansion of the services offered from the site, and that the equipment to be stored therein would be all new. With respect to the office building, this would be in replacement of an existing office elsewhere within the Centre. The applicant explained that the existing office space - which as noted is very small - would be converted to provide improved male changing facilities.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 The application site has been the subject of previous applications for additional buildings or extensions to the main building or the creation of a rope course within the site over a number of years (PAs 01/01118/B, 04/00288/B, 06/02234/B, 10/01444/B, 10/01447/B), all of which have been approved and related to the educational use of the site.

4.0 THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN - 4.1 The application site is located within a wider area of land which is zoned as Open Space (Agriculture) on the Braddan Parish District Local Plan 1991 (North).

4.2 Accordingly, the application falls to be assessed against General Policy 3 and Environment Policies 1 and 2 of the Strategic Plan 2016. It is also appropriate to consider the following text and ensuing Policy of that Plan; while neither is directly applicable, the proposal clearly relates to an existing and approved use and accordingly the more strict restrictions applying to proposals for development in the countryside as set out in the above policies would not be wholly appropriate in this case:

"It is one of Government's general policies to promote equity and equality of access to education, health, community and recreation facilities, services and the wider environment for all sectors of the community."

Community Policy 5: "Permission will generally be given for proposals to improve or extend existing schools and institutions of higher education and to build new schools, subject to their being sited and designed in accordance with the other policies of this plan, having particular regard to the potential for community use of the buildings and the associated Open Space."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Highway Services of the DoI offered no objection to the application in comments received 08.11.2016:

"The proposal is to erect 2 timber buildings, 1 new and 1 a replacement for an existing building. The buildings will not be erected on the existing car park.

"The buildings themselves will not result in a significant increase in traffic movement and the provision of additional storage may free up more of the site for car parking.

"There will be no change to the access arrangements. "Highway Services does not oppose this application."

5.2 Braddan Parish Commissioners offered no objection to the application in commented received 01.11.2016.

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 In cases such as this, the proposal must be assessed by having regard to the balance between the land zoning, which presumes against new development, and the fact that there is an active and approved use operating from the land. - 6.2 The site sits within a much wider area of open countryside, but there are some dwellings adjacent and nearby and this gives the area something of a mixed character even if the predominant landform is open countryside / active farmland. It is visible from a highway to the east, but not from the main B22 highway from which the site is accessed. - 6.3 The application site itself contributes to this attractive rural character, and care must be given to altering its present visual impact, which owing to the somewhat ad hoc alterations over recent years is not a wholly positive one. That said, the site is not particularly visible from the nearest highway, and it is certainly tidy and well-kept; while the masonry property, side-on, is fairly prominent above the near-horizon, the remainder of the site is on lower land and cannot be discerned. Beyond this, to the west, hills rise up and accordingly there can be no concern that the proposed buildings would break near or far horizons in any particularly noticeable manner. - 6.4 It is also noted that much of the land is laid out in a well-ordered and contained manner that ensures its visual impact is kept minimised as far as possible. There is also plenty of vegetation

• around that helps to screen, mask and soften this impact. The two timber buildings proposed would sit comfortably in these surroundings, even if one is a little further removed from the other buildings than might be preferred. However, this building - the westernmost of the two - would sit in a field corner and against some semi-mature trees in a way to reduce its visual impact within and outwith the site. Moreover, as it is intended to provide essential storage for new equipment that relates to the use of the land in the area, this is not unreasonable.
• 6.5 Equally, neither of the buildings' uses is considered to be unreasonable or inappropriate, and neither is considered to be out of scale relative to the existing buildings or the use of the site.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 It is accordingly recommended that the application be approved. Conditions requiring that the shed be used in conjunction with the operation of the Ardwhallan Adventure Centre, and requiring their removal should the needs for which they are sought cease, would be appropriate to attach to the approval notice.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• o The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• o 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;
• o Highway Services of the Department of Infrastructure, and
• o The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 24.11.2016 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. The two log cabins hereby approved shall only be used in association with the Ardwhallan Adventure Centre and for no other purpose unless otherwise agreed in advance with the Department.

Reason: The site is within an area of protected countryside and the log cabins have been approved exceptionally to meet a specific need arising from the use of the site.

• C 3. If for whatever reason the need for the approved log cabins ceases, they shall be permanently removed from the site within a period of 6 months.

Reason: The site is within an area of protected countryside and the log cabins have been approved exceptionally to meet a specific need arising from the use of the site. If the specific need for which they have been approved ceases, their retention would represent unwarranted development in the countryside.

The development hereby approved relates to the Sit Plan, Location Plan and Elevation Drawing, all date-stamped as having been received 18th October 2016.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 02.12.2016 Determining officer

Signed : C BALMER Chris Balmer Senior Planning Officer

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