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                                                 25/90255/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Application No. : 25/90255/B Applicant : Jayne Raby Proposal : Erecton of two sheds with decking area and extension of track (retrospective) Site Address : Land Adjacent To Barrowdale House Sir Georges Bridge Scollag Road Braddan

Senior Planning Officer: Jason Singleton Photo Taken : Site Visit :

Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation

Recommendation

Recommended Decision:

Permitted Date of Recommendation: 08.05.2025 __

Conditions and Notes for Approval C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

C 1. The sheds must be used only for agricultural purposes in connection with the upkeep and maintenance of the land and or for the shelter of animals.

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 2. The external walls of the sheds must be a dark brown colour and being retained thereafter.

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

C 3. In the event that the sheds hereby approved are not used or required for agricultural purposes for a period exceeding 6 months, the agricultural sheds hereby approved shall be removed and the ground restored to its former condition within 12 months of its last use.

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.

C 4. The sheds shall be for private (not commercial) use only and the land defined in red and blue on the site plan as submitted.

Reason: In view of the location of the site in this rural part of the countryside; the Department does not consider the site suitable for anything other than private use.

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C 5. There shall be no external storage overnight of plant, machinery, materials or vehicles outside of the sheds identified on the drawing referenced; SM24/622/1, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Department.

Reason: To protect the character of the area and use of the land.

This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. This application has been assessed and would comply with General Policy 3, Environment Policy 1, 22 of the IoM Strategic Plan 2016.

Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to drawings and supporting information received on 12 March 2025.

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Right to Appeal

It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal: Onchan Commissioners - No Objection DOI Highways Services - No Objection __

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE SITE 1.1 The application site identified in red, is a small parcel of land that sits to the north of the highway; Sir Georges Bridge, Scollag Road, Onchan.

1.2 The site is accessed immediately via the Scollag road and features a hard core trackway leading up to two timber framed and cladded sheds that sit to the eastern boundary. The site is mainly made up of woodland trees that has had the understory cleared and laid to grass and tidied up in general.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the (retrospective) erection of a garden sheds to the eastern boundary and installation of the hardcore trackway.

2.2 The shed would measure a footprint of 2.0m x 2.4m and a larger 5m x 3m shed with decking to the front (west) elevation. The sheds are timber framed construction with timber shiplap boarding and stained.

2.3 The applicant notes they; "intend to use the land to keep a small number of animals, including chicken, a couple of sheep and goats. To support this, we constructed sheds separate from the machinery and tools to store food, hay and straw. Additionally we plan to build a chicken coop as an extension to the smaller shed, allowing the chickens access to an outdoor run".

3.0 PLANNING POLICY 3.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site is not zoned for development on the area plan for the East and sits outside of any Settlement Boundary. The site sits within a Registered Tree Area: RA0740. The site is not within a conservation area and is not zoned at flood risk.

3.2 Given the nature of the application it is appropriate to consider Strategic Plan 2016 which contains the following policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this application;

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                                                 25/90255/B
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General Policy 2 - General Development Considerations (a-n) 3 - Exceptions to development in the countryside

Environment Policy 1 Protection of the countryside 3 Protection of Trees and woodland 15 Agricultural need 21 Buildings for the shelter and care of animals

4.0 PLANNING HISTORY 4.1 None.

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS 5.1 Onchan Commissioners commented (03/04/25) with no objection.

5.2 Highways Services commented (20/03/25) "Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the proposals would not have a significantly detrimental impact over the existing site".

6.0 ASSESSMENT

The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are;

(I) PRINCIPLE 6.1 The starting point for any development within the countryside (i.e. not zoned for development) is whether there is an exception found through General Policy 3. There is a general presumption against new development in the countryside.

6.2 There is allowance for such "structures" in the countryside, albeit agricultural can be found in part (f) that allows an exemption for the erection of agricultural buildings. Whilst this application is not strictly for any commercial faming enterprise or agricultural or horticultural use per say but more akin to recreational land management with the intention of small scale use of the land for the keeping of sheep, chickens and goats (agricultural) and the storage of tools and machinery in association with the upkeep of the land.

6.3 Environment Policy 15 requires in the first paragraph, that the Planning Authority is to be satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building, sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside. Ep21 gives allowances for building for the shelter and care of "other animals" and essentially indicates that no building will be allowed if it would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the countryside in terms of siting, design, size or finish and echoed through Ep1 for the protection of the countryside.

6.4 However, while the application is accompanied with a planning statement that sets out the intentions, there is little evidence to argue the agricultural need and could be contrary to Ep15. Striking a balance and noting the size and scale of the proposals, the land use designation (woodland) and the placement of the sheds on the topography, arguably a balance has to be struck with whether there is any visual impact that could be detrimental to the countryside as per EP1.

(II) VISUAL IMPACT 6.5 The proposed sheds (in place) have been designed to reflect their purpose and cladded with timber boarding with a mono-pitched felt roof. The proposed use is associated storage area that is to be used in conjunction with the surrounding land and used for grazing of animals and upkeep of the land.

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6.6 The building are of a size that would be comparable with the proposed use of the land and the light weight (timber frame) design of the buildings, its low profile height, timber cladding and a brown colour helps to minimise any visual harm.

6.7 The topography of the land and the location of the sheds against the eastern boundary also help to mitigate any glimpsing views when passing. The size, finish and colour of the sheds will help reduce any visual impact from distanced views and from the highway as it would be seen against a back drop of woodland.

6.8 Those aspects help towards ensuring the proposed buildings would not appear out of character in its rural setting and the impact on the countryside is kept to a minimum thus limiting any visual impact. In this instance is not considered to have a detrimental impact which would adversely affect the character or quality of the landscape to such an extent to warrant a refusal and would comply with the criteria of Environment policy 1.

6.9 As such, it is considered that the proposal manages to satisfy the key tests of Environment Policy 21, however a condition requiring the building's removal and the land returned to its current condition should the building cease to be used for the approved use would, in this case, be appropriate and limiting the use to agricultural would help prevent any abuse of the exception to development in the countryside.

(III) NEIGHBOURING AMENITIES 6.10 With regard to the above, the level and scale of development to install the sheds are considered to be relatively minor and not judged to cause harm to the enjoyment of the neighbouring amenity. On balance, these aspects would be considered to be compliant with those sections of General Policy 2(g).

7.0 RECOMMENDATION 7.1 In terms of the scale, materials, colour, siting and form it is considered this application would be in accordance with Environment Policy 1, and 21 for the reasons stated above and has no adverse impact on the character of this site and the wider countryside. The application has been recommended for 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.

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.

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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: 13.05.2025

Determining Officer Signed : C BALMER

Chris Balmer

Principal Planner

Customer note

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