30 July 2025 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Chris Balmer)
Barn, Bibaloe Beg Road, Onchan, Isle Of Man, IM4 5ad
The site is at Bibaloe Beg Farm on Bibaloe Beg Road, Onchan, in unzoned countryside adjacent to the highway with residential cottages opposite behind a tall Manx stone wall. The proposal involves replacing an existing dilapidated barn (18.5m x 18.3m, 8.4m ridge height) with a smaller metal portal frame building (15m x …
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The officer determined there is a general presumption against new development in the countryside per Environment Policy 1 and General Policy 3, but an exception applies under GP3f for agricultural bui…
General Policy 3
GP3f provides exceptions for agricultural development in countryside where need outweighs general policy against development. Officer assessed the replacement as the only building available for essential storage (machinery, fertilisers), justifying approval despite not strictly animal welfare, with strict conditions limiting to agricultural use at this farm.
Environment Policy 1
Requires protection of countryside from adverse effects. Proposal complies as replacement on existing footprint (slightly smaller, set back), no erosion of farmland, and no detrimental visual impact due to scale, siting within farm group, and conditioned finishes.
Environment Policy 15
Requires agricultural need first, then appropriate scale, materials, colour, siting, form sympathetic to surroundings without harming countryside character; site near farmstead. Building smaller/lower than existing, modern agricultural style, amended to dark green walls/grey roof, sited 8m back, read within farm context.
Environment Policy 22
Addresses environmental harm from vibration, odour, noise, light. No new agricultural use (replacement), highway/stone wall separation screens neighbours; no loss of light, overbearing impact, or statutory nuisance expected from existing farm activities.
Time limit
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Agricultural use only
The buildings must be used only for agricultural purposes only.
Removal if agricultural use ceases
In the event that the building hereby approved is not used or required for agricultural purposes for a period exceeding 6 months, the agricultural buildings hereby approved shall be removed and the ground restored to its former condition within 12 months of its last use.
Use tied to Bibaloe Beg Farm
The agricultural building hereby approved must only be used for agricultural use in association with the farm "Bibaloe Beg Farm" or used by a tenant farmer for agricultural use only and not for any other commercial use outside of the farming enterprise.
Cladding materials approval
No development shall commence until a sample of all non-insulated cladding materials to be used has been provided and approved in writing by the Department. The approved sample(s) shall be kept on site for reference until the development is completed. The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details.
Colour scheme
The roof must be finished in a dark grey colour and the walls, doors and shutters, in a dark green colour which has first been approved in writing by the Department and retained as such thereafter.
No external floodlights
For the avoidance of doubt, no approval is hereby granted for any external floodlights affixed to the building. A further planning application would be required for such lightning.
no objection
no objection
A single response from a private landowner at The Old Barns states no objection to the replacement agricultural building but notes the existing barn contains asbestos and requests removal in accordance with regulations.
Key concern: asbestos removal from existing barn
The Old Barns
No ObjectionWe do not have any objection to the plans submitted to replace the existing barn with that proposed; the existing barn is covered with corrugated asbestos cement roofing sheets and wall asbestos cement cladding panels; any removal will be undertaken in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
Conditions requested: removal of asbestos to be undertaken in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
