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Reserved matters application for the Erection of a Farmworkers dwelling (Relating to 22/00991/A) Field No 124429, Ballalhen Farm, The Lhen, Andreas, IM7 3EH Mr S. Kneale & Miss B. Mitchell
23 1734
This application is the Reserved Matters application following on from the Approval in principle, which was approved on 13th February 2023 (22/00991/A).
This application is to deal with the siting, design, external appearance of the building, internal layout, drainage, means of access and landscaping of the site.
The applicants, Mr Scott Kneale and his partner Miss Bayleigh Mitchell are applying to build a farmworkers dwelling. This is key for the development of Ballalhen Farm as an agricultural business.
Scott's father (60 years old) is currently the primary labour force. Both Scott (25 years old) and Bayleigh currently work off farm, assisting during their spare time.
The business needs to grow in order to facilitate the next generation and the building of a dwelling at Ballalhen Farm will be a cost-effective housing solution, allowing the older generation to retire and remain in the family home whilst future proofing this family farming business allowing the business to develop to meet both the Islands farming needs and also the family's needs.
Encouraging the next generation into family farming businesses is key to ensure that the Islands family farming businesses develop and can deliver a stronger role in the Islands Economy and Environment.
For the full breakdown of the justification for the agricultural workers dwelling please see Rural Business Consultancy's information submitted as part of the Approval in Principle Application.
The site is located within the farm group of 'Ballalhen Farm' in the Parish of Andreas. The farm is near to the coast on the 'Northern Plain' of the Island which is an 'Area of high landscape or coastal value and scenic significance' in the 1982 Development Plan.
The site is very much rural/agricultural with the surrounding area being characterised by agricultural fields, manx sod hedges, white rendered 'Manx Vernacular' Farmhouses, utilitarian steel portal frame farm buildings and stone barns/'tholtans'.
The site is nearly half a mile 'as the crow flies' down a farm lane off the A10 Coast Road, with only very distant views from any public vantage point. Due to the topography of the surroundings, the proposed site is not visible from the Lhen Beach. The beach sits to the north of the site, with the A10 road to the south.
The immediate context of Ballalhen Farm contains the original whitewashed, slate roof 'Manx Vernacular' Farmhouse, which has been extended with a single storey hipped roof extension and many beach stone constructed barns in differing levels of repair. Some with slate roofs, others with metal/ fibre cement sheet roofing. Areas of these barns have also been repaired with portal frame steelwork clad in natural timber.
To the west of the original barns are much larger 'modern' agricultural buildings constructed in portal frame with fibre cement corrugated sheet roofing and natural timber wall cladding There is also a corrugated sheet grain silo.
Our design takes inspiration from the above and utilises both the forms and materials of the site context.
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As is evident from the photographs, there are varied styles of agricultural buildings in the farm group, many of which are of modern materials. Materials such as fibre cement sheeting, timber cladding and metal roofing are now more common in the countryside than Manx stone due to their ease of erection and maintenance.
Although these materials and forms don't conform with Planning Circular 3/91, they actually sit more subtly in the landscape than a bright white 'vernacular' dwelling, due to the softer colours and weathered materials.
The principle of a farmworkers dwelling was established under PA 22/00991/A. This confirms the proposal conforms with Housing Policy 7 & 8 of the Strategic Plan.
Housing Policy 9 states the dwelling must be sited within or immediately adjoining the main farm group, well set back from the public highway and approached via the existing farm access.
Our proposals comply with all three of these points.
Housing Policy 10 states the dwelling should normally be designed in accordance with Planning Circular 3/91. The principle form of the dwelling complies with 3/91. The form of the dwelling will read as a traditional vernacular building from public distant views. Although some elements of our design, mainly the extensions do not comply exactly with the policy, we feel that architectural design has moved on considerably since 1991 and the policy should be used with some leniency to allow for this with new interpretation of areas of 3/91.
3/91 Siting ... New buildings should form a unity with any existing buildings within the vicinity ...
Our design takes inspiration from both the vernacular and more modern agricultural buildings which sit together in the farm group. This view is reinforced by:
Environmental Policy 42 ... New development must be designed to take account of the particular character and identity ... of the immediate locality.
Our design has been informed by the immediate locality in all areas.
See Chapter 6 for precedents that have taken this approach to Planning Circular 3/91 and been approved.
East Elevation 1:100
West Elevation 1:100
Not including the garage/boot room side extension our proposed dwelling has an external floor area of 230 m 2 over the two storeys. (many developments of this type have detached garages).
The principle element of the dwelling measures 11 m across the front elevation, which is recommended in PC.3/91, with a side elevation of 9 m .
This size of farmworkers dwelling has recent precedent under the planning approvals listed below.
PA 22/00332/REM - This approval has a principle two storey element of approx as our proposal does, with a single storey porch and side extension. The dwelling has a floor area of 231 m 2 , over two floors, with an additional rooms in the roof and a double garage of 48 m 2 . The application is in an 'Area of high landscape or coastal value and scenic significance'.
PA 20/00553/B - This approval is once again approx , with an additional attached boot room/Garage. This proposal has a more contemporary rear elevation than the PC.3/91 allows for. The application is in an 'Area of high landscape or coastal value and scenic significance'.
PA 22/00332/REM - This approval has a principle element of , with an additional single storey flat roofed outlet to the rear. The flat roof outlet has a terrace above. The rear elevation differs as does the extension form from the PC.3/91 guidance.
All three approvals above along with our proposal are based around a 100 m 2 principle two storey footprint, with each scheme using different styles to gain the additional accommodation required for modern living.
PA 19/00386/B
PA 20/01434/REM
PA 22/01558/REM
PA 20/00991/B
PA 13/91341/B - Traditional barn conversion with a modern timber clad, metal roofed extension. Prominent site in 'Area of high landscape or coastal value and scenic significance'
PA 19/00386/B - Traditional cottage in the countryside with a modern rear extension. Prominent site near Ayres nature reserve, close to proposed site, again in an 'Area of high landscape or coastal value and scenic significance'.
PA 20/01434/REM - Prominent site in an 'Area of high landscape or coastal value and scenic significance'. Utilising timber cladding and corrugated fibre cement roofing sheets. This replacement dwelling is a modern interpretation of the agricultural barn, connecting to a more traditional form of a stone and slated barn.
PA 20/00991/B - Traditional cottage in the countryside with a modern rear \& side extensions. Utilises timber cladding and corrugated fibre cement sheeting for the extensions and a mix of flat and mono pitched roofs.
PA 16/01199/B - Replacement dwelling which takes elements of PC.2/91 and places a modern interpretation on fenestration/openings.
PA 22/01558/REM - New dwelling in the countryside which takes elements of PC.2/91 and places a modern interpretation on fenestration/openings alongside modern flat roof terraces clad in timber. Site is located in an 'Area of high landscape or coastal value and scenic significance'.
The precedents above all show deviations from the outdated Planning Statement 3/91. They take inspiration from their surrounding area and the rural setting. More modern barns of timber and sheet material are much more prevalent now than traditional stone and slate, with many older buildings now repaired with these materials as they have been at The Lhen. These materials sit in harmony with the countryside.
The applicants wish to build a family home which will allow them to work the farm for their lifetime. This young couple will need space to expand and grow their family, hence the requirement for 4 bedrooms with garaging and boot room. The original farmhouse has been extended several times over the years in an ad-hoc fashion, which detracts from its original form.
We proposed to provide a contemporary take on the Manx Vernacular farmhouse with modern 'extensions' which take inspiration from the immediate locality of the farm group.
The form and massing of the new dwelling fits with PC.3/91, with the extensions replicating the mono/low pitch agricultural buildings clad in corrugated sheeting and timber cladding in the area.
The south elevation which will be most visible and also the elevation viewed from the farm yard as approaching along the access lane is very traditional in appearance.
The contemporary elements are kept to the 'rear' and far side of the dwelling to protect them from the immediate view of visitors to the farm and any distant views from the A10 coast road.
Corner glazing to the northwest corner of the main dwelling is to take in the late evening sun and stunning views over the Irish Sea. The fenestration pattern chosen keeps the opening lights in proportion with the traditional windows preferred by PC.3/91.
The lean to family room is a modern take on the old 'Cat slide' rear extensions while keeping the first floor windows. The garage with boot room link is mono pitch and contemporary in style. These 'extension' elements from the main dwelling are of contrasting appearance, form and materiality to differentiate them visually from the traditional element. The materials chosen (grey sheeting and natural weathered timber) will soften and almost hide away into the landscape, making the white rendered element will be more visible.
The traditional elements of the project are to be finished with smooth white render and natural roofing slate to imitate the traditional finishes of the Manx Vernacular. The contemporary feel of the traditional element has been successfully achieved by Miach Swift Architects in their 'Rhossili' project on the Gower Peninsula Area of Natural Beauty. See images. They also utilised mono pitch corrugated sheeting to provide a garage/store building.
The window style is kept simple and modern with single panes with no glazing bars. It is also considered to be how the very original Manx farm houses would have been. The glazing was small and window units easier/ cheaper to produce than sliding sash units which came later. This can be seen at Ballacraine farmhouse on the TT Course.
Using contemporary glazing and timber cladding within a traditional form has been used by Hall + Bednarczyk Architects for their project 'The Nook'. Here they have a traditional barn form, with large glazed openings, surrounded by timber cladding, as we have done with our corner glazing.
Using contrasting materials to provide visual breaks is a key part of KAST Architects design concept for their scheme for 'Trenethick Barn'. "Creating a clear visual distinction between the barn and the extension, without offending the traditional 'Cornish barn' aesthetic was one of the key goals of the design." Timber cladding, monopitch roof and a flat roof link have been used here, in a simialr style to how our garage/boot room sits against the traditional white house.
It is important to note that these designs along with ours don't aim to replicate traditional or agricultural buildings, but take inspiration from them, alongside modern methods of construction and living standards/ expectations to provide an interesting design which is in keeping with their surroundings.
Condition 4 of PA 22/00991/A stated the following information be provided regarding highways & access:
The access is an existing half mile long farm track; there is no chance of any surface water run off from new development reaching the highway. Existing farm lane access to be repaired if deemed not suitable, with falls away from highway or drainage to permeable land.
Plot is to be accessed via existing farm track.
See site plan drawings. 2No Car parking spaces provided, garage large enough to accommodate both a car and cycling storage.
2No car parking spaces provided and garage larger than single car garage to allow for cycle parking to MfMR criteria.
Both cycling and bin storage to be accommodated in garage. Minimum standard garage 3 x 6m, garage provided 4.2 x 6.15m.
Surface water to be taken to new soak away.
Visibility splays for access to highway were deemed suitable under PA 22/00991/A Drawing No 22 FWD03.
To summarise, this proposal is for a Farmworkers dwelling for a young couple wishing to continue farming the land at Ballalhen long into the future, securing the Isle of Man's food security and agricultural landscape and heritage. The principle of which was established under PA 22/00991/A.
The overall size of the dwelling proposed is to accommodate the needs of a growing family and has been established by prior approvals in the last few years for such agriculturally tied dwellings.
The general form and appearance of the core dwelling is in accordance with Planning Circular 3/91. This is an out dated policy which doesn't take into account the changes in architectural design over the last 33 years.
The contemporary elements of the proposals have been designed in a manner so they are easily distinguishable and subordinate to the core dwelling. They take inspiration from the immediate site context and wider agricultural setting (EP42). The design respects the site and surroundings and does not adversely affect the character of the landscape.
Although not a Planning consideration, the scheme has been designed to be constructed with a highly insulated and air tight off site manufactured timber frame kit. It will utilise triple glazing, air or ground source heating and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.
Should this scheme gain approval not only will the proposals nestle into their surroundings and provide a family home, but the dwelling will secure the future for a local farm when many are being closed down and no longer producing food for our Island.
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