30 July 2025 · Planning Committee
Field 432477, Douglas Road, Ballasalla, Isle Of Man, IM9 3dn
The proposal involves forming a new 8m wide access with splayed stone walls 2m from Douglas Road (A7), a 6m bound surface, and a 65m gravel track with a central grass strip leading to the yard at Malew House, while blocking up the existing retrospective access adjacent to Maggie's Cottage with a matching stone wall and…
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The officer acknowledged the proposal fails General Policy 3(f) as insufficient essential agricultural need was demonstrated, especially given alternative accesses and minimal current agricultural use…
General Policy 3
Requires exceptions to countryside development only for operations essential for agriculture with real need demonstrated per Section 7.13. Officer found insufficient evidence of agricultural justification, noting minimal current use, alternative accesses, and appeal inspector's prior agreement on lack of need for tracks.
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside from harmful development. New access and track's engineered appearance (wider entrance, gravel with grass strip like residential driveway) harmful to rural character and streetscene, despite blocking retrospective works.
Strategic Policy 3 - To respect the character of our towns and villages
Promotes good design appropriate to locality. Proposal's appearance not typical of countryside, weighed against level of use but found visually intrusive.
Strategic Policy 4
Protects rural landscape quality. Conflicts with Landscape Areas F8 and D14 strategies for openness, field patterns, and Manx hedges; track creates incongruous feature.
Spatial Policy 5
Promotes use of local materials and character. Materials conditioned but design still out of keeping.
Environment Policy 14
Prohibits loss of Class 1-2 agricultural land without overriding need. 10% field loss (notable in 7.7-acre holding) not justified, but less than prior retrospective works and improves situation overall.
General Policy 2
Requires no adverse amenity (g) or highway (h) impacts. Relocating access reduces noise/activity on Maggie's Cottage; improved visibility satisfies highway tests.
Strategic Policy 10
No adverse highway safety effects. Highway Services confirmed improvements.
Time limit
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.
Visibility splay
The visibility splay(s) identified on drawing No.2307/1 1A; shall be constructed in accordance with the approved plans and thereafter kept permanently clear of any obstruction exceeding 1050mm in height above adjoining carriageway level. Reason: In the interests of highway safety.
Materials approval
No development shall commence until a schedule of materials and finishes and samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details. For the avoidance of doubt no approval is given for the use of any "Tier" or similar stone cladding system to the proposed walling. Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.
Bound access surface
The access area hereby approved shall be finished a bound and consolidated material and retained as such thereafter. Reason: in the interest of Highway Safety.
Closure of existing access
Within 3 months of the new access being brought into use, the existing access shall be blocked up in accordance with the approved details. Reason: to ensure the development takes place in accordance with the approved details.
No objection subject to conditions on visibility splays, bound and consolidated access surface, and existing access closure; improved visibility compared to existing access
No objections
