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DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND BUILDING CONTROL
Town and County Planning Act 1999
Decision Adeed
FOR
PREPARED BY S.J.PRESCOTT DIP. L.A., M.L.I.
PRESCOTT ASSOCIATES LIMITED CHARTERED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS MINERVA HOUSE TYNWALD MILLS ST. JOHNS
MAY 2010
RECEIVED ON 24 JUN 2010 DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE
CONTENTS PAGE NO.
1.1 Prescott Associates Limited are a professional landscape practice registered with the Landscape Institute in London and the principais are Members of the Landscape Institute. 1.2 The practice was established in 1986 as an independent professional consultancy alongside the Environmental Advisory Unit of the Department of Botany at Liverpool University Prescott Associates are qualified to act and advise on all aspects of landscape architecture and landscape planning.
The practice undertook its first commission in the Isle of Man in 1987 and our Manx office was established in St. Johns in 1991. During this period we have worked on over 350 Island based commissions in both the public and private sectors including landscape design, landscape planning, impact assessment and strategic planning studies.
2.1 Prescott Associates Ltd. have been commissioned by James Brookman Ltd. as Landscape Consultants to advise them on landscape and environmental issues arising from their proposal to build a replacement dwelling on the site of Croit ny Cabbyl on the Ballamenagh Road (Bayr Balley Meanag) in Baldrine. 2.2 This report specifically relates to addressing the Planning Departments request for the production of a Landscape Strategy for the development based on a Visual Impact Assessment which may determine the requirement for any structure/screen planting recommendations to allow the new property to sit well within the site and the surrounding landscape.
Accordingly we have undertaken an existing site assessment and photographic survey to determine overviews of the site from properties visible from the site together with views from roads, footpaths and the Groudle Glen railway and prepare recommendations for any mitigating measures that may be required to reduce any impact to a minimum.
3.1 Croit ny Cabbyl sits in an elevated position around 99 metres ( 320 feet) above sea level with extensive easterly views over the sea and southwards over the higher sections of the south side of Groudle Glen. It is situated some 350 metres from its nearest neighbour at Ballavarane and set back some 50 metres from the Ballamenagh Road and the Raad ny Foillan . 3.2 It is worth noting prior to undertaking the study that there is an existing Planning Approval No. PA08/02288B for a contemporary replacement dwelling (excluding stabiing facilities). 3.3 Whilst the existing property stands in an open plot it is backed to the north by a wooded escarpment, the tree cover consisting primarily of mature Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) the two most common, windfirm and native deciduous trees in the Island. These species together with a number of Beech (Fagus sylvatica), Oak (Quercus petraea), Rowan (Sorbus aria), Alder (Alnus glutinosa) and Willow (Salix cinerea) are very much in keeping with the setting and provide a visual backdrop to the property to views into the site from the lane and partially to the south. The stands of conifers within the woods - Spruce, Larch and Corsican Pine - are less in keeping (with the possible exception of the pine) and will be subject to long term management and gradual replacement with deciduous species. 3.4 The existing house, stables and outbuildings currently sit largely unnoticed in their surroundings. It is important to acknowledge from the outset that any impact assessment should acknowledge that the proposal is for a replacement dwelling and facilities as opposed to the introduction of a new structure into the landscape and that the development should not be seen in isolation but as one element in the overall landscape. 3.5 The site is visible along an approximate 400 metre section of Balamenagh Road (and Raad ny Foillan) with some distant views from Ballavarane Farm and two other properties to the north (some 300-700 metres away) and from the A11 Douglas to Laxey coast road on the south side of Groudle Glen some 650 metres to the south.
Appendix 1 contains a range of photographs from vantage points and properties with views over the site together with a plan showing the location and direction of the photographs and the Zone of Visual Influence. The photographs were all taken with a 55 mm lens.
3.6 There are only the three properties previously mentioned with mid to long distant side views over the site. As previously stated these views range from 300 to 700 metres across open fields and hedgerows. Accordingly the views from these properties are extensive taking in large tracts of countryside which are not purely focussed on Croit ny Cabbyi. As a consequence the 'change' in the overall landscape perceived from these properties will be minimal. 3.7 There are views into the front of the property from the lane. Pedestrians can see into the site over the existing sod banks, car passengers less so due to the banks. Whilst the lane also doubles as the Raad ny Foillan vehicle and pedestrian traffic is minimal. The existing property has been 'accepted' in the landscape for many years. It is of little architectural merit whereas the replacement (whether contemporary or traditional) will benefit from more considered architectural input and consideration by the Department. 3.8 Due to the topography there are no views of the site from both the Groudle Cottages or the Groudle Glen Railway. This is clearly illustrated in Photograph No.'s 3, 8 and 9 in Appendix 1. 3.9 The views of the existing property from the A11 and the King Edward Bay golf course are distant and over a wide extent of countryside and scattered dwellings. The change in the style and mass of the replacement house should therefore again be visually minimal and the replacement stable facilities non existent situated as they are in a dip to the rear of the house.
4.1 I am of the opinion that the proposed development will not be detrimental to the visual appearance of the countryside. It will be possible to enhance the setting of the house (there is minimal existing planting in the garden and grounds) by reinforcing the existing tree cover and hedgerows around the site with new shelter/screen planting. It is the location of the new planting which is key to reducing any visual intrusion to a minimum whilst providing a good setting for the development to sit readily in its surroundings. 4.2 As previously stated there are partial views into the site over the sod bank from the BallamenaghRoad and Raad ny Foillan. The views over the sod bank are predominantly of the existing house with the stables being set below the road and only partially visible. However to soften these views to a minimum there is the opportunity to introduce some hedgerow planting on the existing bank together with structure planting to the western face of the stables. Randomly planted specimen trees in the paddock between the road and stables itself will also help to break up the stable elevations together with the northern elevation of the new house as viewed from the northern section of the road. The location of the structure planting and hedgerows are illustrated in Appendix 2. 4.4 The existing wooded areas within the site ownership are to be retained and subject to ongoing management to allow the woodland to develop and diversify to its full potential. This will involve future planting with predominantly deciduous specimens and the gradual reduction in the coniferous 'plantation' cover. 4.4 The use of native and indigenous stock in any shelter/screen planting proposals is imperative to allow the new planting to blend into its surroundings and the wider landscape. It will be non intrusive and utilise species that are readily adapted to the ground and climate conditions prevailing at Croit ny Cabbyl. It is proposed to select the structure planting and hedgerow stock from the following species:
Acer pseudoplatanus Alnus glutinosa, incana Corylus avellana Crataegus monogyna Fraxinus excelsior Ilex aquifolium Malus sylvestris Pinus sylvestris Populus tremula Prunus spinosa
Sycamore Alders Hazel Hawthorn Ash Holly Crab apple Pine Poplar Blackthorn
Quercus petraea, Salix, caprea, cinerea Sambucus nigra Sorbus aucuparia
Oak Willows Elder Rowan
Native Hedgerow Planting
Corylus avellana Crataegus monogyna Ilex aquifolium Lonicera periclymenum Prunus spinosa
Hazel Hawthorn Holly Honeysuckle Blackthorn
Ornamental Hedgerow Planting
Fagus sylvatica Ilex aquifolium Taxus baccata Griselinia littoralis Escallonia macrantha
Beech Holly Yew Griselinia Escallonia
5.1 Site observations and the photographic survey indicate that Croit ny Cabbyl currently sits reasonably comfortably within its setting which is well established and largely unobtrusive. 5.2 Any new planting (as indicated on the Structure Planting Proposals) is to be undertaken in strategic locations so as to increase the existing tree cover thus reducing any views into the property to a minimum whilst improving the overall setting in the landscape. 5.3 It is understood that the proposed property is larger than the existing house. However I believe that as the views into the site are predominantly at a considerable distance that this increase will be visually minimal and that combined with the implementation of a comprehensive landscape strategy that any increase in the visual impact of the development will be negligible. 5.4 I understand that there have been no objections to date from any of the surrounding properties or the Commissioners on the grounds of visual impact.
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