29 April 2025 · Planning Committee
Ballavale Barns, Ballavale Road, Santon, Isle Of Man, IM4 1eh
At Ballavale Barns on Ballavale Road in Santon, the proposal involves demolishing an existing garage and replacing it with a glasshouse on a similar footprint, removing one of two vehicular accesses, making alterations to the main barn dwelling including a new timber porch, window/door changes, and solar panels, plus a…
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The officer assessed that physical works to the barn, including entrance alterations, porch, windows/doors, and solar panels, respect the proportion, form, and appearance of the traditional converted …
Strategic Policy 1
Requires making best and efficient use of sites including underused buildings. Officer noted relevance but focused assessment on other policies; proposal reuses existing barn for office without new build proliferation.
Strategic Policy 2 - Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
Directs new development to town centres unless in line with GP3. Countryside office use conflicts but justified by small scale, botanic link, and existing building use per Business Policy 7 exception.
Spatial Policy 5
New development to make positive contribution. Glasshouse and alterations seen as positive for botanic gardens without countryside harm.
All new retail development (excepting neighbourhood shops and those instances identified in Business Policy 5) sited within the town and village centr
Offices must be in centres or zoned land. Exception via existing traditional building and botanic-specific use.
General Policy 2
General standards for acceptable development. Works acceptable in scale/design, not harming character with conditions on materials.
General Policy 3
Exceptions to countryside development. Proposal fits via functional need for botanic gardens and contained within existing cluster.
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside; no adverse impact unless overriding need. Glasshouse and alterations do not adversely affect character/appearance, contained in cluster with stone plinth.
Environment Policy 2
Protects Areas of High Landscape Value. Site in D13 landscape area; proposal integrates via siting, materials, scale per Landscape Proposal 7.
Environment Policy 15
New agricultural/horticultural buildings must be sympathetic in design, materials, scale. Glasshouse design evident as such, stone base links to surroundings, appropriate for botanic use.
Environment Policy 17
Facilities for nurseries/market gardens acceptable if appropriate size/scale/appearance, screened. Glasshouse fits footprint, serves botanic gardens.
Housing Policy 15
Alterations/extensions to traditional properties must respect proportion/form/appearance; <50% floorspace. Works acceptable scale, enhance entrance without detracting from barn form.
Business Policy 7
Offices in centres unless in architectural/historic buildings where only/best way to secure future. Small-scale ground-floor use in traditional barn linked to botanic gardens acceptable, retains dwelling function.
Time limit
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Office use restriction
The additional office use hereby approved is restricted to the ground floor of the main dwelling only and for additional office use only in connection with the operation of the wider botanic garden site outlined in blue on drawing number A_1_00 Location Plan.
Stonework matching
All new stonework proposed for the barn shall be installed to match the existing barn and retained as such thereafter.
Tourist unit finishes
Any new external finishes to the tourist unit shall be finished to match the existing tourist unit in particular the walls and roof and retained as such thereafter.
Glasshouse frame colour
The framing for the glasshouse hereby approved shall be finished in a dark colour finish and retained as such thereafter.
Glasshouse lighting
There shall be no internal or external lighting of the approved glasshouse unless full details are submitted to and approved in writing by the Department and installed only in full accordance with the details approved.
Bird strike prevention
The installation of the glasshouse glazing must be installed with methods for the prevention of bird strike which may include etching, decals or ultraviolet coatings prior to the building being brought into use and shall be retained as such thereafter.
Parking and access
The car parking, access and site layout shall be carried out in full accordance with the approved drawings and retained as such thereafter.
Tourist unit use
The tourist unit shall be used only by tourists with no individual tenancy exceeding 4 weeks in duration between Easter and 31st October: outside of these months longer lets may be permitted. The unit may also be managed only in association with the occupation of the main dwelling, Ballavale Barns.
Do not oppose subject to conditions; no significant negative impact on highway safety, network functionality or parking; site access, layout and parking acceptable; accessible by sustainable transport.
No objection subject to conditions on lighting details and bird strike prevention measures.
DEFA Biodiversity has no objection to the application subject to a condition requiring measures to prevent bird strikes on the glasshouse glass.
Key concern: potential bird strikes on the glass
DEFA Biodiversity
Conditional No ObjectionNo objection subject to condition; we have concerns regard potential bird strikes on the glass and are requesting a condition for measures to be put in place to prevent this.; Transparent glass windows/balustrades pose a collision risk to birds when they are in flight and could result in their injury or death. In 2004 the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) estimated that up to 100 million birds strike glass each year in the UK
Conditions requested: No works to commence on the glass house unless a plan detailing the measures that are to be put in place to prevent bird strikes, is submitted to Planning and approved in writing. Measures could include use of etching, ultraviolet coatings or decals.
