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25/90603/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 25/90603/B Applicant : Mr Colin Oates Proposal : Erection of steel portal frame agricultural building in Field No 110929 Site Address : Field 110929 West Kimmeragh Road Bride Isle Of Man
Senior Planning Officer: Mrs Louise Phillips Photo Taken :
Site Visit :
Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 07.08.2025 __
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
C 2. All external facing and roofing materials to be used on the building hereby approved shall be as specified on Drawing No 25 1907 NB 03.
Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the surrounding area.
C 3. The building hereby approved shall be used only for agricultural purposes.
Reason: The countryside is protected from development and an exception is being made on the basis of agricultural need. As such the building must be used for the purposes for which it is approved.
C 4. The agricultural building hereby approved shall be removed and the ground restored to its former condition in the event that it is no longer used or required for agricultural purposes.
Reason: The building has been exceptionally approved solely to meet agricultural need and its subsequent retention would result in an unwarranted intrusion in the countryside.
This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason.
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25/90603/B
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The proposed development is essential for the conduct of agriculture and it would be sited in an inconspicuous location which would cause no harm to the landscape or general character and appearance of the area. It would therefore be justified in the countryside and comply with the relevant policies of the Development Plan.
Plans/Drawings/Information;
This approval relates to the following plans:
o Site and Location Plan - 25 1907 NB 01 o Proposal Drawing - 25 1907 NB 03 o Proposed Site Plan - 25 1907 NB 04
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Right to Appeal
It is recommended that the following organisation should NOT be given the Right to Appeal:
o Highways Services - No objection. __
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE SITE
1.1 The site is a field in the countryside, south of West Kimmeragh Road and west of Bride. It forms part of West Kimmeragh Farm, a holding extending to almost 106Ha. A farmyard comprising the farmhouse and several existing agricultural buildings, including one proposed to be extended under 25/90600/B, lies to the east.
1.2 The field has a boundary with the highway, and there is a hill between the road and the proposed site for the new building. To the south, the land is flat and there are long views towards the mountain over the applicant's land. The eastern boundary is with a narrow lane, which provides direct access to the highway and to the fields adjoining the farmyard.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The proposed development is a new steel frame agricultural building at the southern end of the field adjacent to the access lane. It would measure 36.6m long x 14.6m wide x 5.18m high at the eaves. It would have low level cast concrete walls with timber cladding above, and grey fibre cement corrugated gables and roofing. A metal roller shutter door would be provided at each end.
2.2 It is intended to use the building as a cattle shed to fatten young animals which need to be housed during the winter.
3.0 PLANNING POLICY
Site Specific 3.1 The site is not within a Conservation Area and there are no Registered Buildings, Registered Trees or Registered Tree Areas which would be affected by the proposal. A small area at low risk of surface water flooding runs around the site of the proposed building.
1982 Development Plan 3.2 The site is in the countryside.
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25/90603/B
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Strategic Plan 3.3 Strategic Policy 2 - Development will be permitted in the countryside only in exceptional circumstances set out in General Policy 3.
3.4 Spatial Policy 5 - Development will only be permitted in the countryside in accordance with General Policy 3.
3.5 General Policy 2 - Provides various development management criteria, including the following which are relevant to this proposal:
o (b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them; o (c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; o (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks; o (g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; o (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself including, where appropriate, safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; o (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; and o (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding.
3.6 General Policy 3 - Development outside areas zoned for development will not be permitted except for:
o (f) building and engineering operations essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry.
3.7 Environment Policy 1 - The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an overriding national need.
3.8 Environment Policy 13 - Development which would result in an unacceptable risk from flooding, either on or off-site, will not be permitted.
3.9 Environment Policy 15 - Where the Department is satisfied that there is an agricultural need for a new building, sufficient to outwegh the general policy against development in the countryside, and its impact is acceptable, development must be sited as close as practically possible to existing building groups and be of appropriate scale, materials, colour, siting and form to be sympathetic to the surrounding landscape and built environment. Buildings in exposed or isolated areas or close to public highways will only be permitted in in exceptional circumstances and will be subject to appropriate landscaping. The impact of new agricultural buildings upon nearby residential development must be considered.
5.0 PLANNING HISTORY
5.1 16/00631/B - Erection of an agricultural building, Permitted.
5.2 25/90600/B for an extension to an existing agricultural building within the farmyard to the east of the application site is being considered concurrently.
6.0 REPRESENTATIONS
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25/90603/B
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6.1 Highways Services - The proposal would have "no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the existing access and proposed internal layout is acceptable" (21 June 25).
6.2 The following organisations were consulted on 17 June 2025 but, at the time of writing this report, no comments had been received:
o Bride Parish Commissioners o Manx Utilities Authority, Electricity
7.0 ASSESSMENT
7.1 Planning permission was granted for a similar building in the same field but just to the south of the site now proposed in 2016 (16/00631/B), but that permission has now expired and so a fresh application was needed. Therefore, given the general presumption against development in the countryside, the main issue is whether the proposed new building would be justified, having regard to the need for it in agricultural terms, and to its effect upon the character and appearance of the area.
7.2 The planning history for the wider land holding of West Kimmeragh Farm indicates that the site forms part of an ongoing working enterprise and this was confirmed by what I saw on my site visit. The modern agricultural buildings on the farmyard to the east, including the one now proposed to be extended 25/90600/B, are in full use including for the storage of hay and modern machinery.
7.3 The new building is required to serve as a stock shed for general animal welfare and particularly for young animals which need to be housed over the winter to fatten. The shed once used for this purpose is no longer available to the applicant because the farm has been split up, and the traditional brick outbuildings on the farmyard are not suitable on account of their relatively small size and layout. The provision of a new shed would enable the number of beef cattle kept on the farm to be increased from 86 animals to 200 and, therefore, the agricultural need for the building required by General Policy 3 of the Strategic Plan, seems clear.
7.4 Turning to siting and visual impact, the proposed building would be away from the existing group on the farmyard. However, there is no room for it on the farmyard itself and the field to the immediate west of the yard slopes so that significant earthworks would be needed to provide level ground. The proposed location for the building in the next field along is on the lowest lying flat land and is screened from the highway by a hill. Whilst the building could be seen from the south, this would be in long views across the applicant's own land and its scale and appearance would be appropriate to its use. It would not be unusual to see an agricultural barn in this area of farmland.
7.5 Consequently, while the proposed building could be considered "isolated", it would be neither exposed nor close to the highway, and it would be sympathetic to the surrounding landscape. Its location adjacent to the lane would also allow cattle to be moved easily between the fields without the need to go onto the main road. Overall, therefore, the site represents a practical and suitable location for the building, compliant with Environment Policy 1 of the Strategic Plan and with the spirit of Environment Policy 15.
Other Issues 7.6 The flood risk identified above is small and would not be significant given that the surrounding land is open countryside. There are no near residential neighbours; and, given the location of the site, there are no parking or other issues which would affect highway safety.
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25/90603/B
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Consequently, the proposed development would not conflict with General Policy 2 or Environment Policy 13 of the Strategic Plan.
8.0 CONCLUSION
8.1 For the reasons given above, the proposed development is essential for the conduct of agriculture and it would be sited in an inconspicuous location which would cause no harm to the landscape or general character and appearance of the area. It would therefore be justified in the countryside and so comply with the relevant policies of the Development Plan. It is consequently recommended for approval.
9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE
9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).
9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to: o applicant (in all cases); o a Local Authority; Government Department; Manx Utilities; and Manx National Heritage that submit a relevant objection; and o any other person who has made an objection that meets specified criteria.
9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10.
9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required): o any appellant or potential appellant (which includes the applicant); o the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Department of Infrastructure and the local authority for the area; o any other person who has submitted written representations (this can include other Government Departments and Local Authorities); and o in the case of a petition, a single representative.
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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 and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made : Permitted
Date: 08.08.2025
Determining Officer
Signed : C BALMER
Chris Balmer
Principal Planner
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