30 October 2014 · Delegated - Senior Planning Officer (Sarah Corlett, Chris Balmer) in the name of Director of Planning and Building Control
Entrance To Field 613057, Lonan Old Church Road, Baldrine, Isle Of Man, IM4 6aj
The proposal sought full planning approval for a two-storey building with a 6m by 10m footprint, labelled as storage/workshop on the ground floor and storage on the upper floor, with six 1m square rooflights, a garage door, dwelling-style door and windows on the front, and two windows on the rear.
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The officer determined the site is in open unzoned countryside with strict restrictions due to High Landscape Value designation, and the proposal fails General Policy 3 as it does not qualify under ex…
General Policy 3
Restricts development outside zoned areas except for specific countryside exceptions like essential agricultural buildings (f). Officer assessed the proposal fails (f) due to lack of DEFA consultation and domestic-oriented design (openings facing dwelling), and does not meet other exceptions; existing garage precludes further allowances.
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside for its own sake, prohibiting adverse development without overriding national need. Officer found curtilage extension would irrevocably change agricultural grazing to domestic character (e.g. via unpermitted mowing, shrubs), constituting harm with no justifying need.
Environment Policy 2
Prioritises landscape character protection in High Landscape Value areas unless no harm or essential location proven. Inadequate plans prevent demonstration of no visual harm, especially given strict controls in such designations.
do not oppose the planning application
The original application for erection of a workshop/garage/store building was refused on 30 October 2014 for reasons of unwarranted domestic intrusion into open countryside contrary to General Policy 3 and Environment Policy 1, and inadequate details for assessing visual impact in an Area of High Landscape or Coastal Value contrary to Environment Policy 2. The appellant argued agricultural need due to insufficient storage and workshop space, proximity required for mains electricity, and farm labour requirements. The inspector accepted the building's primary agricultural purpose under General Policy 3(f), found the visual impact small and outweighed by necessity under Environment Policies 1 and 2, and recommended approval subject to conditions for detailed drawings and agricultural occupancy/removal if not needed. The Minister concurred and approved the appeal on 12 March 2015.
Precedent Value
This appeal shows that public inquiries allow appellants to clarify agricultural intent and provide oral evidence of need, overturning refusals based on assumed domestic use. Future applicants should explicitly state agricultural purpose in applications, provide functional justifications, and anticipate conditions tying approval to agricultural use with removal clauses.
Inspector: Alan Langton
