23 May 2024 · Delegated - Principal Planner Chris Balmer
Field 524940, Quines Hill, Port Soderick, Isle Of Man, IM4 1au
The proposal involves building a single timber frame structure (29.2m long x 3.86m wide, 112.8m² footprint) including three stables, hay store, tack room, and field shelter on the edge of a 10.85-acre field within the Ballamona Estate in open countryside.
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The officer concluded the proposal accords with General Policy 2 (b,c,d,g,i,l,m) and Environment Policies 1,7,19,20,21,22 as it represents acceptable equestrian development in countryside per EP19 and…
General Policy 2
Requires consideration of visual impact, protected species, amenity, and rural character. Officer assessed building design/finishes as appropriate, conditioned lighting to protect bats/birds/night sky, and found minimal amenity/noise impact at 150m from dwellings.
General Policy 3
Allows exceptions where justified. Applied via condition 3 restricting to private estate use due to scale, location in open countryside near dwellings, and need justification absent for separate facility.
Environment Policy 1
Protects open countryside (site in AHLV, non-designated). Acceptable due to equestrian exception, tree backdrop screening, proximity to existing structures, and private scale.
Environment Policy 3
Site adjoins Registered Tree Area 0770 (Tree Group 01). Condition requires Heras fencing per BS5827:2012 and AIA/TPP to protect roots during construction.
Environment Policy 19
Permits equestrian buildings subject to conditions. Officer found location/scale appropriate on grade 3 soil, linked to estate, screened by trees.
Environment Policy 20
Not applicable as development not significant scale or in highest landscape value area.
Environment Policy 21
Allows such buildings if compliant. Design, equine-appropriate finishes, and siting against trees/150m from houses tipped balance to acceptable.
Environment Policy 22
iii) light pollution/noise. 150m separation avoids noise nuisance; lighting details conditioned to minimise spill on species/rural sky.
Time limit
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
External lighting approval
Prior to the construction of any of the development, hereby permitted, above finished ground floor level, all details of any external lighting to be applied to the buildings surfaces or at ground level around the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by DEFA Planning. Any such lighting shall be installed prior to the development being first occupied and shall thereafter be retained and maintained at all times. Reason: To minimise the impact of the development on Bats, Birds and any other Protected Species and safeguard the rural character and amenities of the area including minimising the impact of the development on the rural night sky.
Private equestrian use only
The development hereby permitted shall be occupied as a private equestrian facility for the benefit of the occupants of the Ballamona Estate, their employees and associates only, and that it shall not be operated as a facility open to the general public, or sold or sub-let without first obtaining planning permission. Reason: To ensure that the private equestrian facility remains as part of the planning unit comprising the Ballamona Estate. This is due to the size and scale of the development, the approval of existing related equestrian development, and its close proximity to the Ballamona Estate Barn, Farmhouse, Manor House and Mill all of which are located in the open countryside where planning permission for a separate equestrian facility closely related to adjoining living accommodation would not be granted unless there was an identified and justified need; and, to protect the residential amenities of occupants of the adjoining Barn, Farmhouse, Manor House, Mill and residential properties in Quines Hill. This accords with the provisions of General Policy 3 b) and g); and, Environment Policy 1 and 22iii) in the Adopted Isle of Man Strategic Plan (2016).
Tree protection fencing
Prior to the commencement of development on site, including any works required for demolition, protective 'Heras' fencing as shown on the Tree Protection Plan Drawing submitted as part of the Arboricultrural Impact Assessment (AIA) and Tree Protection Plan - prepared by Manx Roots Tree Management (dated August 2022) - shall be erected around the 'Construction Exclusion Zone' shown on this plan, especially for Tree Groups 01, where it abuts the area of development. The protective fencing should be installed to form the construction exclusion zone in accordance with BS5827:2012. Such fencing shall be retained in the positions shown throughout the construction period for the development, hereby permitted. At no time before, during or after the construction period, when the fencing has been removed, shall any construction materials, machinery, liquids or fuel be stored within any of the 'Construction Exclusion Zones' shown and annotated as such on the Tree Protection Plan. Reason: To ensure that trees to be retained on and around the site are protected throughout the construction period.
no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking, as the existing accesses are acceptable for the proposals.
No objections.
Highway Services HDC, Braddan Commissioners, and DEFA Forestry responded to application 24/00187/B; Highways and Braddan had no objections, while DEFA Forestry requested a tree protection plan prior to determination.
Key concern: proposed stables located adjacent to a registered area of high-quality trees
Highway Services HDC
No ObjectionAfter reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking, as the existing accesses are acceptable for the proposals.
Braddan Commissioners
No ObjectionThe Commissioners considered the planning applications listed below at their meeting on 29 February and I can confirm that they had no objections to any of them.
DEFA Forestry
Conditional No ObjectionThe proposed stables are located adjacent to a registered area of high-quality trees.; In order to have a high degree of confidence that the proposal will not have an adverse impact to these trees, I would like to request a tree protection plan, complete with details of the size of the root protection areas of the adjacent trees. I request that this information is provided prior to determination.
Conditions requested: tree protection plan, complete with details of the size of the root protection areas of the adjacent trees; information is provided prior to determination
