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                                                 25/90696/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 25/90696/B Applicant : Mr & Mrs James Simpson Proposal : Erection of shed for storage of agricultural and garden machinery Site Address : Ballacaroon West Baldwin Road Mount Rule Isle Of Man IM4 4HW

Principal Planner: Chris Balmer Photo Taken :

Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 02.09.2025 __

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. The building must be used only for agricultural purposes and garden machinery in association with the main dwelling house "Ballacaroon".

REASON: the countryside is protected from development and an exception is being made on the basis of agricultural need/maintenance of the land associated with Ballacaroon. As such the building must be used for the purposes for which it is approved.

C 3. The 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/garden machinery purposes associated with "Ballacaroon" for a period exceeding 12months.

Reason: The building has been exceptionally approved solely to meet agricultural/ garden machinery needs and its subsequent retention would result in an unwarranted intrusion in the countryside.

C 4. The external walls (cladding), roofing, door frames, guttering, bargeboards, eves, roof (excluding roof lights) on the new building must be a dark green/olive green colour and all being retained thereafter. The timber sliding doors shall be either left unpainted, stained or painted a dark green/olive green colour and be retained thereafter.

Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.

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                                                 25/90696/B
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This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. Overall, it is considered the need for the proposed l barn is acceptable, whilst also not adversely affecting the countryside/landscaping. The proposal therefore complies with Environment Policy 1 and 15 and General Policy 3 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information;

This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing all received on 18.07.2025. __

Right to Appeal

It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal:

Local Authority - No Objection __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site currently form part of the residential curtilage of Ballacaroon and part of Field Nr 521361. The main dwelling is a substantial dwelling which has been constructed in the last few years. To the north of site is the A23 (West Baldwin Road) and to the west of the site is Mount Rule Equestrian Centre. To the east of the site is an unmade access lane. The application site is a total of approximately 1.6 hectares (4 acres), with the residential curtilage being approximately 0.5hectares and the Field Nr 521361 being approximately 1.1 hectares in size.

1.2 The boundaries of the site are generally characterised with mature hedgerows/bushes. The topography of the land generally slopes downwards from the main dwelling to the southernmost boundary of Field Nr 521361.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 The application seeks approval for the erection of shed for storage of agricultural and garden machinery.

2.2 The proposed barn would have a width of 8m a depth of 4m and ridge height of 4m and would have a floor area of 32sqm. The barn would be located within Field Nr 521361 and be sited along the western boundary of the field. The new barn be a steel framed construction finished with metal cladding to roof/walls and timber sliding doors to the eastern elevation.

2.3 In support of the application the applicants comment; "...To maintain this field, we have agricultural machinery including tractor and trailer (see phot 1), which are also utilised in the garden, together with a flail mower for cutting the grass in the field (see photo 2). It is also our intention to shortly purchase a small low loader tractor which will enable us to more effectively control the compost heap produced from all the grass cuttings

We do not have an building which can store the protect this machinery from the elements, and it is proposed that the new building will provide cover for this equipment and for the ride on mower, freeing up some much-needed space from the garden store attached to the garage block."

3.0 PLANNING POLICY

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                                                 25/90696/B
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3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is located within a wider area of land that is designated as open space (agricultural) under the Area Plan for the East 2020.

3.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 contains a number of policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application, which include;

3.3 Environment Policy 1 states; "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 over-riding 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."

3.24 General Policy 3 states that 'Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:

(f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry'

3.5 Environment Policy 15 states: "Where the Department is satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building (including a dwelling), sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside, and that the impact of this development including buildings, accesses, servicing etc. is acceptable, such development must be sited as close as is practically possible to existing building groups and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour, siting and form to ensure that all new developments are sympathetic to the landscape and built environment of which they will form a part. Only in exceptional circumstances will buildings be permitted in exposed or isolated areas or close to public highways and in all such cases will be subject to appropriate landscaping. The nature and materials of construction must also be appropriate to the purposes for which it is intended. Where new agricultural buildings are proposed next to or close to existing residential properties, care must be taken to ensure that there is no unacceptable adverse impact through any activity, although it must be borne in mind that many farming activities require buildings which are best sited, in landscape terms, close to existing building groups in the rural landscape."

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 The previous planning application which is associated with the site is;

4.2 Erection of dwelling and detached garage - 17/00105/B - APPROVED

4.3 Erection of a dwelling with detached garage - 18/01060/B - APPROVED

4.4 Erection of single storey home gym/yoga studio and garden store - 20/01203/B - APPROVED

4.5 Erection of a single storey stand alone sauna building - 22/00238/B - APPROVED

4.6 Single storey extension to West elevation of existing dwelling (Dwelling approved under PA 17/00105/B) - 24/91141/B - APPROVED

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Braddan Commissioners do not object (18.08.2025).

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                                                 25/90696/B
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6.0 ASSESSMENT 6.1 The key issues for this proposal are; principle of development, whether there is an agricultural/horticultural need for the proposed buildings, and the impact to the rural character of the site and the wider countryside.

The principle of the development 6.2 As outlined by Environment Policy 15 the Department must be satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building/s to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside.

6.3 The applicant have indicated that the barn, which is more domestic in size, rather than a barn which would be seem for a fully-fledged farm holding. The applicants have outlined the size of the land (both residential gardens and field) and explained the equipment required to maintain these areas. It is considered the barn is modest in size and the justification for the equipment and the subsequent space to store is acceptable and sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside and therefore comply with General Policy 3 and Environment Policy 15. However, other material considerations as outlined in paragraph 6.1 also need to be considered.

The impact to the rural character of the site and the wider countryside 6.4 The barn is set against existing mature landscaping to the western site boundary and the sloping nature of the site also reduces its appearance from public views, namely when travelling along the West Baldwin Road, towards the site to the east. However, given the modest scale/height of the proposal, the proposed finishes/colours (should be conditioned to be a dark green), topography of the site and the mature landscaping to all boundaries of the site; it is considered the proposal would not be a significant feature in the landscape which it would sit. Accordingly, the proposals from this perspective would comply with EP15.

6.5 Overall, the proposed building is agricultural in nature and what you would potentially expect to see in such rural areas. Further, the construction is also appropriate for the type of buildings proposed. Accordingly, the proposals from this perspective would comply with EP15.

6.6 Accordingly; it is considered the visual impact of the proposals would be sufficiently mitigated and would not adversely affect the countryside, complying with EP1 and EP15.

7.0 CONCLUSION 7.1 Overall, it is considered the need for the proposed l barn is acceptable, whilst also not adversely affecting the countryside/landscaping;. The proposal therefore complies with Environment Policy 1 and 15 and General Policy 3 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.

7.2 Accordingly, the application is recommended for an approval.

8.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE

8.1 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).

8.2 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.

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8.3 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.

8.4 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.

8.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given the Right to Appeal. __

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: 03.09.2025

Determining Officer

Signed : J SINGLETON

Jason Singleton

Principal Planner

Customer note

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