Design Statement Arragon Mooar

Freeland Architectural

DESIGN STATEMENT for

New Estate/ Gardener'S Compound

Arragon Mooar, Santon, Isle Of Man Im4 1Hb

Client: Dr J C Taylor

Job Ref: 500/12

February 2012

1) The Site

Arragon Mooar is a recently constructed detached dwelling set in 185 acres of countryside in the Parish of Santon. The estate includes three recently refurbished Manx stone cottages forming ancillary accommodation and a large orangery used for growing citrus fruits, grapes, figs and other exotic fruits.

Some of the fields on the estate are leased to a local farmer for grazing cattle and sheep. However, the general maintenance of the estate and formal gardens adjoining the house is undertaken by the owner of Arragon Mooar. The estate employs a full time gardener, facilities manager and contract gardeners as necessary. The estate owns eight large agricultural vehicles for general horticultural maintenance i.e. clearing ditches, mowing, digging, rolling, sowing etc. The quantity of large machines and sizes are listed under item 5 of this document and indicated on the plan layout.

In addition to the large machine storage area, there is a need for a secure pesticide store, an area for smaller gardening tools, fertilizer, seed storage and a separate composting area. These areas are indicated on the plan layout.

2) SITE ACCESS and PROPOSALS

The house, ancillary accommodation and orangery are accessed via a finished single track road directly off The Old Castletown Road to the north and Church Road at the south. The estate gardens and fields can be accessed directly from this road and through gates into fields off Church Road.

It is proposed to locate the new Estate/ Gardener's Compound near to the main access road running through the site and in close proximity to the house and adjoining buildings.

In order to reduce impact of the building from the house and road, it is proposed to set the rear elevation of the building into the steep bank which slopes up to existing road level. The existing bank is heavily landscaped; however, it is proposed to add additional plant screening to the east and south elevations. The roof and walls will be clad in profiled steel cladding and coloured a soft grey/ green to blend in with the surrounding landscape.

4) Summary

We are of the opinion that the proposals meet the requirement of Environment Policy 15 in terms of adequate access, location and need; given the size and nature of the formal gardens and estate grounds. The impact of the building is reduced by recessing the rear elevation into the eastern bank and by adding additional plant screening. The colour scheme for the shed also reduces the general impact by blending into the landscape.

5) List Of Machinery Currently On Site And Use

a) Kubota $3.6 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{l}) \times 1.2 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{w}) \times 1.7 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{~h})$ - digger/ ditch clearance and soil scraper. b) Dumper $3.8 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{l}) \times 2.0 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{w}) \times 3.0 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{~h})$ - soil/ compost/ general transporter of bulk items c) Loadall $7.0 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{l}) \times 2.7 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{w}) \times 3.0 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{~h})$ - lifting bales, sacks, pallets etc. d) JCB $5.6 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{l}) \times 2.5 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{w}) \times 1.9 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{~h})$ - digging, scraping, ploughing. e) John Deer and trailer $5.0 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{l}) \times 1.6 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{w}) \times 1.9 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{~h})$ - trimmer/ cutter and trailer f) Roller $2.9 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{l}) \times 1.2 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{w}) \times 2.8 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{~h})$ - rolling soil, levelling ground g) Iseki $2.9 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{l}) \times 1.8 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{w}) \times 2.3 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{~h})$ - Commercial grass cutter/ trimmer h) Isuzu $5.5 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{l}) \times 2.0 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{w}) \times 2.3 \mathrm{~m}(\mathrm{~h})$ - 4 wheel drive/ transporter i) Large selection of mowers and general gardening equipment.