178478

==== PAGE 1 ====

                                      19/01012/B                                     Page  1  of  4

PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 19/01012/B Applicant : Mr Matt And Mrs Linda Ingham Proposal : Alterations to existing equestrian store structure to form drying room. Site Address : Ballaclucas Farm Top Road Crosby Isle Of Man IM4 4HN

Planning Officer: Mr Peiran Shen Photo Taken : 11.12.2019 Site Visit : 11.12.2019 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 17.12.2019 __

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.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

The development hereby approved relates to Drawing P10-104 proposals and P10-103 Site Plan, date-stamped as having been received 10th September 2019.

__

Interested Person Status - Additional Persons

None

__

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE

==== PAGE 2 ====

                                      19/01012/B                                     Page  2  of  4

1.1 The site is part of Ballaclucas Farm, Top Road, Crosby, an equestrian compound located north of Mount Rule Road, about 2 km east of the residential area of Crosby but closer to Glen Vine.

1.2 The site accommodates two major structures: an equestrian arena and a stable block. These two structures are located about 120m away from Mount Rule Road and are connected to the road through a driveway at the southeast corner of the site. At the southeast corner, there is also a parking area and two muck stores.

1.3 There are four detached houses located to the south of the site and they are directly located by Mount Rule Road.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL

2.1 Full planning approval is sought for the alteration to an existing muck store to form a drying room. The existing muck store is an open-sided structure and the drying room will be enclosed. The works include the addition of a monopitch roof finished in polyester coated aluminium sheeting and the walls will be clad in white through coloured smooth render at low level and horizontal timber boarding above.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY

3.1 The stable block was permitted in 1996 through PA 95/01611/B and the equestrian arena was permitted in 2015 through PA 15/00166/B.

4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 The site lies within a wider area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance on The Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982. This area extends as far as the rear of The Nab Farm buildings to the west. The site is not designated for development on the draft Area Plan for the East.

4.2 As such, there is a presumption against development in such areas as set out in Environment Policies 1 and 2. Further information and guidance are given in respect of equestrian-related development in Environment Policies 19, 20 and 21.

4.3 Environment Policy 1: "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 overriding 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."

4.4 Environment Policy 2: "The present system of landscape classification of Areas of High Landscape of Coastal Value and Scenic Significance (AHLV's) as shown on the 1982 Development Plan and subsequent Local and Area Plans will be used as a basis for development control until such time as it is superseded by a landscape classification which will introduce difference categories of landscape and policies and guidance for control therein. Within these areas, the protection of the character of the landscape will be the most important consideration unless it can be shown that: a) the development would not harm the character and quality of the landscape; or b) the location for the development is essential."

==== PAGE 3 ====

                                      19/01012/B                                     Page  3  of  4

4.5 Environment Policy 19: "Development of equestrian activities and buildings will only be accepted in the countryside where there will be as a result of such development no loss in local amenity, no loss of high-quality agricultural land (Classes 1 and 2) and where the local highway network can satisfactorily accommodate any increase in traffic (see Environment Policy 14 for interpretation of Class 1 and 2)."

4.6 Environment Policy 20: "There will be a presumption against large scale equestrian developments, which includes new buildings and external areas, in areas of an Area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance unless there are exceptional circumstances to override such a policy."

4.7 Environment Policy 21: "Buildings for the stabling, shelter or care of horses or other animals will not be permitted in the countryside if they would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the countryside in terms of siting, design, size or finish. Any new buildings must be designed in form and materials."

5.0 REPRESENTATION

5.1 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Division states there is no highway interest in this application (25/09/2019).

5.2 The Marown Parish Commissioners have no objections to this application (17/10/2019).

6.0 ASSESSMENT

6.1 There is a presumption against all development in the countryside, not just equestrian- related development and the policies which give guidance on equestrian-related development state that such development "will only be accepted in the countryside where there will be as a result of such development no loss in local amenity, no loss of high-quality agricultural land...and where the local highway network can satisfactorily accommodate any increase in traffic and that such development will generally not be permitted in areas of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. The site lies within such an area. As such, it is important to look carefully at the impact which the development will have, principally the impact it will have on the character and appearance of the countryside.

6.2 The compound is visible on the natural rise of the land, from the lane leading to Ballalough Farm, which is also a public footpath and the building will continue to be visible from up this lane. The compound will become less visible as one proceeds along the A27 towards the site but obscured by existing hedges, trees and buildings. From the east, the compound will be visible above the house.

6.3 The muck store is currently not visible from any highway vantage point as it's an open- sided structure and there are bushes on the south of the muck store. The proposed enclosed dry room although higher than then existing structure and will be more visible than the muck store, will have the existing equestrian building in the background and therefore does not stand out from the existing compound.

6.4 The finishing of the drying room will match the existing finishing of the existing hay shed and therefore provides consistency to the whole compound and therefore increase the ability for the new dry room to fit into the existing compound.

6.3 It is considered that whilst the site is identified as of high landscape value, the visual impact of the building, as helped by existing vegetation and a consistent finish will result in a building which has minimal and an acceptable impact on the landscape and will not harm it, particularly taking into account that there are other large agricultural and equestrian buildings elsewhere in this part of the countryside which contributes towards its character.

==== PAGE 4 ====

                                      19/01012/B                                     Page  4  of  4

7.0 CONCLUSION

7.1 In summary, the proposal is regarded generally as a positive impact on the special character and appearance of the Castletown Conservation Area and the application is therefore acceptable.

8.0 INTERESTED PERSON STATUS

8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 (Article 6(4), 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 (d) Highway Services Division of Department of Infrastructure and (e) The local authority in whose district the land where the subject of the application is situated.

8.2 The decision-maker must determine: o Whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and o Whether there are other persons to those listed in Article 6(4) who should be given Interested Person Status. __

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

Decision Made : Permitted

Date: 24.12.2019

Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett

Principal Planner

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.