5 August 2024 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Chris Balmer)
Tramman, Ballamanagh Road, Sulby, Isle Of Man, IM7 2hd
The proposal aimed to modify the occupancy restriction from the 1984 approval (84/00082/B) on Tramman, a two-storey detached dwelling with a hipped slate roof, rendered walls, and sliding sash windows, located in the countryside within a woodland area of high landscape value.
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The officer determined that insufficient evidence was provided to show no short-term or long-term need for agricultural workers' accommodation at the site or locality, failing the tests in General Pol…
General Policy 3
GP3 provides exceptions to development in the countryside, including essential housing for agricultural workers (linked to Housing Policies 7-10). The officer assessed the variation against this, finding it failed as no evidence showed no need for agricultural occupancy at site or locality level, required to justify derogation.
Housing Policy 8
HP8 requires occupancy conditions restricting agricultural dwellings to persons engaged in agriculture. The proposal to vary this for non-agricultural use was tested for compliance with removal criteria in para 8.9.4, which demands proof of no long-term locality need; the appraisal only addressed on-site operations, ignoring broader demand.
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside and ecology with presumption against non-essential development. Referenced but not central, as focus was occupancy condition rather than new build.
Environment Policy 2
Guides development in Areas of High Landscape or Coastal Value. Site is in such an area; policy noted but assessment hinged on agricultural need test.
no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the proposals are accessed off a low traffic low flow rural lane
no objections to this development from a fisheries perspective
support the application subject to the house being tied to the farm and never to be separated from it
Highway Services HDC, Lezayre Parish Commissioners, and DEFA Inland Fisheries all responded with no objections to application 24/00270/B, though the Parish requested the house remain tied to the farm.
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 proposals are accessed of a low traffic low flow rural lane.
Lezayre Parish Commissioners
Conditional No ObjectionApproved unanimous subject to the house being tied to the farm and never to be separated from it.
Conditions requested: subject to the house being tied to the farm and never to be separated from it
DEFA Inland Fisheries
No ObjectionDEFA, fisheries have no objections to this development from a fisheries perspective.
Precedent Value
This appeal highlights the high evidential bar for varying agricultural occupancy conditions on Isle of Man: applicants must prove no short/long-term need across the entire Island (not just site/locality) through marketing at realistic agricultural rates, regardless of current farm operations. Previous temporary approvals do not automatically justify renewals without fresh evidence.
