23 January 2017 · Delegated - Senior Planning Officer Sarah Corlett
Field 510279, Mullinaragher Road, Santon, Isle Of Man, IM4 1hy
The proposal involved installing a new recessed timber field gate 6m from the road edge, with 1.2m high timber fencing and trimming of adjacent hedges to 1.05m for 70m visibility splays, on a 14-acre agricultural field holding bounded by Mullinaragher Road.
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The officer assessed that the proposal fails the key tests of General Policy 3 (GP3) as there is no overriding national need for a fourth access into the 14-acre field holding, which already has three…
General Policy 3
GP3 presumes against development in unzoned countryside ('white land') except for specified exceptions including overriding national need (part g). The officer tested whether the new access qualified as essential for agriculture but found no necessity given three existing accesses serving the entire holding, rejecting agent claims of difficult topography as site visits showed manageable slopes and tracks.
Environment Policy 1
EP1 protects countryside for its own sake, permitting development only for overriding national need with no alternatives. Assessed against proposal's harm to rural character via 6m hedge removal; officer concluded it detrimentally affects Manx hedge streetscene and landscape, paralleling inspector's prior appeal comments on similar access impacts.
Paragraph 7.8.6 of the IOM Strategic Plan 2016
Requires developments affecting conservation sites to not compromise objectives, show public interest outweighing ecology, and no less damaging alternatives. The verge opposite has Conservation status; officer found proposal harms its integrity without justification, especially with increased access usage potential.
Environment Policy 4
Prohibits development adversely affecting local habitats like Wildlife Sites or landscape corridors (Manx hedges). Referenced for protecting verge and hedges as continuous features important to flora/fauna.
The gate is set back from the highway to prevent vehicles causing an obstruction and adequate visibility is provided. Highway Services does not oppose this application.
Santon Commissioners expressed no clear objection but raised concerns about the need for a third access without field subdivision and deferred to Planning and Highways decisions. Highways Division does not oppose subject to the access being set back with adequate visibility.
Key concern: no present real need for a third access without field subdivision
Santon Commissioners
No Objectioncould find little reason other than 1 and 2 below to object to the introduction of a third, relatively safer, access point; Our only doubt is that there is perhaps no present real need for a third and approximately central access to this field at this time without there being an actual subdivision in place by reason of sale; The Commissioners will be content with the respective decisions of Planning and Highways on this matter
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
Conditional No ObjectionHighway Services does not oppose this application; Do not oppose with condition/comment
Conditions requested: The gate is set back from the highway to prevent vehicles causing an obstruction and adequate visibility is provided
