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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 17/00288/B Applicant : MVIC - Jonathan Sutherland Proposal : Installation of solar panels on roof of film studio Site Address : Island Studios Jurby Road Ramsey Isle Of Man IM7 2EB

Case Officer : Mr Jason Singleton Photo Taken :

Site Visit : 23.03.2017 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The site is an area of just over 11 acres situated between the A13 Jurby Road and the Sulby River. Access to the site is from the Jurby Road via a lane 260m long, from the A13 to the west of a property called Baldromma and curving round to the east close to another property, Baldromma Farm Bungalow which has been part of the film studio application site in previous applications but in this case is shown as having been sold in one of the accompanying drawings.

1.2 The site accommodates four buildings, all large scale structures, the office/film workshop which is at the northern end of the site which is 31m by 21m and is two storey, the ground floor is mainly open with small offices around the outer part: the first floor is all open plan offices. This provides a total of 1300 sq m of floor area. To the south of this is a building which is attached to the main film studio which is further south. This building is 24m by 28m (672 sq m) and single storey but contains a variety of inner buildings and rooms, a sub-station and changing room/canteen unit. The main film studio has a footprint of 25m by 43m (1075 sq m). There are areas of hard standing around the buildings which are used for parking. There is also a small detached building alongside the bungalow which provides a further 59 sq m of floor area.

1.3 The buildings, mainly the principal film studio building, are visible from the southern side of the Sulby River, distant views being from the Lezayre Road and from the northern end of the Garey Road which links Churchtown with the Jurby Road.

THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the installation of solar panels on the south west roof elevation of the film studio. The roof area would cover a mass of interlinked individual panels covering 23m x 21m.

PLANNING HISTORY 3.1 The application site has not been the subject of any previous planning application that is considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN POLICIES 4.1 In terms of land use designation the application site is located within a wider area of land that is designated as "white land" on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982 that is, not designated for development.

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4.2 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.

4.3 Strategic Policy 1 states: "Development should make the best use of resources by: (a) optimising the use of previously developed land, redundant buildings, unused and under- used land and buildings, and re-using scarce indigenous building materials; (b) ensuring efficient use of sites, taking into account the needs for access, landscaping, open space(1) and amenity standards; and (c) being located so as to utilise existing and planned infrastructure, facilities and services."

4.4 General Policy 3 states: "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); (b) conversion of redundant rural buildings which are of architectural, historic, or social value and interest; (Housing Policy 11); (c) previously developed land(1) which contains a significant amount of building; where the continued use is redundant; where redevelopment would reduce the impact of the current situation on the landscape or the wider environment; and where the development proposed would result in improvements to the landscape or wider environment; (d) the replacement of existing rural dwellings; (Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14); (e) location-dependent development in connection with the working of minerals or the provision of necessary services; (f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry; (g) development recognised to be of overriding national need in land use planning terms and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative; and (h) buildings or works required for interpretation of the countryside, its wildlife or heritage."

4.5 Environment Policy 1 states: "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."

4.6 Environment Policy 22 states: "Development will not be permitted where it would unacceptably harm the environment and/or the amenity of nearby properties in terms of: i) pollution of sea, surface water or groundwater; ii) emissions of airborne pollutants; and iii) vibration, odour, noise or light pollution."

4.7 Energy Policy 4 states: "Development involving alternative sources of energy supply, including wind, water and tide power, and the use of solar panels, will be judged against the environmental objectives and policies set out in this Plan. Installations involving wind, water and tide power will require the submission of an EIA".

REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Lezayre Parish Commissioners and Highways Services do not object (11/04/17 & 07/04/17)

ASSESMENT 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are; (i) the principle of development; (ii) the visual impact of the proposal on the building and that of the surrounding area.

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(i) the principle of development.

6.2 In considering this application, it is noted the area is not zoned for development and there is a presumption against development other than set out in General Policy 3. Although, the proposal does not fit specifically into any of the criteria for acceptable development, regard must be given to the reasonableness of the scale and siting of the proposed developments in view of their subsequent impacts, if any, on the countryside taking into account the existing built form that exists on site that is the film studio. In this case it is relevant to give greater weight to Environment Policies 1 & 22 and Energy Policy 4 which seek to protect the countryside for its own sake and the character and appearance of the surrounding areas.

(ii) the visual impact

6.3 The proposed addition of solar panels on the south west roof scape would not be considered to make the building any more incongruous than it already is. It is considered the wider public views are only achievable from the mountain road A18 and from the A3 when travelling from Sulby to Ramsey, whilst these views are only from glimpsed vantage points, the overall impact would be minor, given the scale of the building.

RECOMMENDATION 7.1 Overall, it is concluded that the planning application is in accordance with aforementioned General Policies of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and is recommended for approval.

INTERESTED PERSON STATUS 8.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure)(No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: (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 (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 09.05.2017

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.

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This approval relates to drawings referenced; 01 and 02 date stamped 10th March 2017.

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: 10.05.2017

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Senior Planning Officer

Customer note

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