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Croit Ny Cablyl<br>Ballamenagh Beg Road, Baldrine, Isle of Man, IM4 6AQ
Issue Status Planning Application
Prepared For Department of Infrastructure
For and on behalf of James Brookman Ltd
June 2010
1.0 CONTENTS 2.0 INTRODUCTION 3.0 EXISING SITE 4.0 PLANING HISTORY 5.0 PRE-APPLICATION CONSULTATIONS 6.0 PLANNING POLICY 7.0 SCHEME PROPOSAL 8.0 SUMMARY 9.0 APPENDICES
This Design Statement accompanies the full planning application for the demolition of the existing residential property known as Croit Ny Cabbyl, Balladromma Moor, Isle of Man and existing associated equestrian facilities and subsequent erection of a new substantial residential property and adjoining equestrian facilities including an indoor riding arena, stabling, staff accommodation and under croft within the residential curtilage of the site.
In this Design Statement the existing site, details of pre application consultations and the development proposals are discussed in full and should be read in conjunction with the:
The residential property known as Croit Ny Cabbyl is located on the East coast of the Isle of Man within the district of Lonan, occupying a prominent site in Baldrine adjacent to the Groudle area. The Groudle railway and former sea lion pool lie just below its Eastern most curtilage.
The application site covers approximately 10,145 square metres ( 1.0145 hectares / 2.5 Acres) and is the residential curtilage of the property known as Croit-Ny-Cabbyl. The residential curtilage sits within a larger site under the ownership of the property which extends in total to an area of approximately twenty-six acres. The site as a whole comprises of three fields surrounding the property, a groom's cottage, stables and tack buildings, and extensive ménage and a private woodland area with a stream running through.
The application site currently houses a substantial residential property which is broadly a dormer bungalow with a substantial section of accommodation within the roofspace. There are currently extensive equestrian facilities on the application site comprising of a substantially built stable block comprising of 6 boxes, feed store and first floor residential accommodation above, an additional groom's cottage, a number of separate tack buildings, loose timber stable blocks and stores, along with a flood lit ménage and surround fields which are used for grazing and riding and which also include a field barn. The property and equestrian facilities have deteriorated greatly and are not of architectural merit. Existing photographs have been included in Appendix 1.
Vehicle access to the site is via the existing vehicular access from Ballamenagh Beg Road
A topographical survey has been conducted on the site the information from this is included on the submitted existing site plan, . From this survey it can be seen that the existing sites from
the level of approximately 103.25 metres at its North-Western boundary to a level of 88.5 metres at its South-Eastern boundary. A fall of approximately 14.75 metres over the length of the site, the aspect being generally an east/southeast facing slope.
The site as a whole has been the subject of a number of planning applications over the years. However, only a small number of these are of any relevance to the current proposal and are as listed below:
| Ref | Dated Granted | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 10/00572/B | Withdrawn | Erection of replacement dwelling |
| 09/00910/B | August 2009 | Extension and re-modelling of existing dwelling to create substantial contemporary private residence with spa facilities (amendment to PA 08/02288/B) |
| 00/00387/C | July 2000 | Extension of residential curtilage to South |
| 00/01773/B | February 2001 | Erection of conservatory at rear (East) of property |
| 89/00446/B | January 2004 | Erection of two storey extension to provide a snooker room, two bedrooms and granny annexe |
Application 89/01045/B is in reference to an extension of existing stables. We have been unable to find reference to a construction date of the stables.
Applications 09/01848/B, 10/00572/B and 10/00597/B were submitted by James Brookman Ltd. This was later withdrawn following advice from the planning officers.
| Ref | Dated Granted | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 10/00597/B | Withdrawn | Erection of an internal riding arena with stables and staff accommodation |
| 09/01848/B | Withdrawn | Erection of an internal riding arena with stables and staff accommodation |
| 89/01045/B | 01.01.1994 | Extensions to stables |
Throughout the design process pre-application consultations have taken place with:
Mr lan McCauley, Director of Planning Mr Anthony Holmes, Planning Officer
These consultations have been in the form visits to the planning office, telephone conversations and e-mail correspondence. Both Mr McCauley and Mr Holmes have visited the site on a number of occasions in connection with James Brookman Ltd previous applications for a contemporary residence on the site (09/00910/B) and a withdrawn application for equestrian facilities within the ownership curtilage of the site (09 / 01848 / B).
Previous pre-application consultations with Mr Holmes identified that the existing dwelling and associated buildings are of poor architectural quality and is to an extent non-traditional in form and nature within its current countryside setting.
The advice given in these pre-applications has been incorporated into the drawings and information which form the basis of this application.
Any proposed development on the application site has to satisfy the relevant requirements of the extant Laxey and Lonan Area Plan 2005 that was approved by Tynwald on 20th October 2005 and came into operation 1st November 2005 (The Local Plan).
The application site does not have a site specific statement in the Area Plan.
The application site is demarked as 'Open Space / Agricultural Use' and is sited within an area designated as 'Area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance'.
An area of woodland to the East of the application site is designated as an 'Area of Ecological Interest'
Within the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007, we believe that the following policies are of particular relevance to this application. For brevity the relevant Strategic Objectives and Policies have been referenced only and the following should be read in conjunction with the published Government Document. An extract summary from these has been included in Appendix 3 for reference.
a) This proposal seeks to optimise the use of currently developed land by expanding on the existing residential use of the site. As stated the current dwelling is of poor architectural and construction quality. b) The proposal makes efficient use of the site by using the existing facilities. The proposal compensates for any changes in landscaping with extensive planting. c) The proposal utilizes the existing infrastructure, facilities and services of the site.
This application follows the policy to encourage "high quality development throughout the island"1.
b) It is felt that our proposal will enhance the landscape quality of the site by creating a property of architectural merit on the site. The development is adjacent to an 'Area of Ecological Interest'. The proposal does not seek to directly affect this area and every effort will be made to protect the woodland area that runs along the north-east boundary of the site during and after construction.
A property with facilities and grounds of this scale would employ grounds people to maintain them to a very high standard. This would include the pond and pond life, the extensive additional planting along with the existing glen and woodland.
It is felt that this proposal makes a positive contribution to the environment and compliments the surrounding natural beauty of the site. This Design Statement takes into account the Strategic Aims and Policies.
a) The intended use of the site will offer new employment opportunities for stable staff and ground staff on both permanent and part time basis as well as house keeping staff.
All of these points have been considered and addressed as part of the scheme design development and are described in detail in this document.
This policy reiterates the requirements of Strategic Policy 2. The government policy will not permit development in the countryside unless the development satisfies the criteria outlined in paragraph 6.3. We acknowledge that our proposal does not fully adhere to these exceptions however it could be construed that there existing facilities / building on the site which have become redundant. Whilst the proposed facilities are larger it is not felt that the visual impact would be greater due to their location on the site.
a) The intended use of the site will offer new employment opportunities for stable staff and ground staff on both permanent and part time basis as well as office staff, increasing the diversity of employment opportunities within the growing equestrian sector on the island.
The application site is adjacent to but is not itself an 'Area of Ecological Interest'. It is not felt that this proposal will adversely affect the existing countryside. Additional trees, hedgerows and sod banks will be planted as part of the overall landscaping of the proposal.
There is an area of private woodland, only planted in last 20-30 years as outlined in tree report. The enclosed Tree Report did not find any specimens of significant importance. This existing woodland will be incorporated and developed as part of the scheme.
a) It is not felt that the proposal will be detrimental to the character or quality of the landscape as every effort has been made to reduce the impact of the scheme in terms of its positioning in the natural valley of the site and choice of materials.
This opinion is upheld by the Landscape Report and Visual Impact Assessment included as part of this submission.
The small amount of private woodland that is proposed to be removed as shown on the site plan drawing 917- P-002 will be replaced three-fold in the intended extensive landscaping of the site as outlined in the Landscape Report. The Tree Report did not find any existing specimens of significant importance.
The proposal will not result in the loss of any high quality agricultural land (Class 1-2). Any increase in traffic to use the facilities will be nominal and will only relate to staff usage and occasional events.
This application is for a private domestic equestrian facility and it is in an 'Area of Scenic Significance'. This document seeks to demonstrate that our proposal is not without merit which should be taken into consideration providing circumstances to override such a policy.
The design of the stabling and arenas reflects the usage of the buildings in form, size, orientation and materiality which will be discussed further in the Design Proposal. In addition, due to its siting in the topography of the site and its isolated position it is not felt that the proposal would be detrimental to the countryside.
This proposal of the main residence is identified as a 'Replacement Dwelling in the Countryside' (8.11) and therefore the following policy has been taken into consideration:
a) The existing main dwelling is still used as residential accommodation. The existing equestrian facilities are occasionally used as such. b) None of the buildings on the site are of architectural merit or historic interest
The proposed main dwelling will be sited within the vicinity of the"footprint" of the existing property. The orientation is different to the existing to allow the
property to site more comfortably on the site and to take full advantage of the sea views. The floor area of the existing building is in the region of 856.8 msq (9222.59 sqft). This floor area has been calculated in accordance with the definition as outlined in Appendix 1 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan. Following the same definition, the proposed principal residence has a floor area of 1159.10 msq (12,476.49 sqft) externally at ground and first floor level. This increase in floor area is within the guideline of a 50% increase in floor area from the original. There is an additional lower ground level with an internal floor area of 544.70 msq (5863.102 sqft). It is our understanding that as this floor level is essentially subterranean with external access from only the garden elevation it is not to be included as part of the increase in floor area calculation.
The footprints of the existing bungalow and the granted contemporary scheme have been outlined on drawing 917-P-002 for comparison. This drawing shows that the existing footprint is similar to that of the proposed main body of the main house. The footprint of the granted scheme is considerably larger than this proposed scheme.
This proposal is for a larger dwelling which is to replace a dwelling of poor form with one of a more traditional character and classical aesthetic.
The proposal also seeks to incorporate additional residential accommodation in the form of associated staff accommodation. Due to the nature of the accommodation we have taken the view that these would be classed as agricultural dwellings and have therefore taken the following policies into consideration.
Due to the nature and scale of the proposed equestrian facilities full time staff will be required on site 24 hours and therefore residential accommodation is essential to the development. There are 2 no existing separate grooms accommodation on the site which is proposed to be demolished and reinstated as a considered part of the scheme.
The residential accommodation will be restricted to use by staff of the equestrian facilities and/or house and a condition stating as such will be expected.
The equestrian centre has been sited in close vicinity to the main residence both of which are set back from the road.
The existing dwelling is not yet connected to the IRIS system. Surface water from the proposed property will connect to the existing stream which runs through the site.
to discharge to the sea. A License to Discharge that has already been obtained for the site, license no. WPA/09/2009 (Appendix 2). Foul water drainage for the stables, arena and associated accommodation will connect to a new 'Bio-disc' system as the main house.
The proposal seeks to demolish the existing poor quality dormer bungalow that currently occupies the site known as Croit Ny Cabbyl to enable the creation of a elegant and understated private residence. In addition this proposal seeks to demolish the existing poor quality equestrian facilites. To enable the creation of private equestrian facilities suitable for the proposed new dwelling known as Croit Ny Cabbyl. The proposal will also include the removal of a small number of existing trees from the private woodland and subsequent extensive planting scheme.
The site currently has planning permission for a striking contemporary residence as obtained by our agents, Kay Associates. James Brookman Limited withdrew an application for extensive equestrian facilities within the ownership curtilage of the site earlier this year after consultation with the Planning Department that the application would be unsuccessful.
As a developer, James Brookman Limited has been approached by a number of potential high networth clients looking to relocate the Isle of Man. A number of these like the location of Croit Ny Cabbyl but would prefer a more traditional scheme. Therefore, this application seeks to obtain planning approval for a more traditional and timeless architectural styled property which may appeal to a broader market. A property of this standing is also in keeping with the Islands economic strategy to encourage high net worth individuals to the island.
As identified in the Strategic Plan "(e)questrian activities are becoming increasingly popular in rural areas and on the fringes of our towns and villages" and it is our expectation from the potential purchase enquiries for Croit Ny Cabbyl we have had that any future owner will require equestrian facilities that compliment the main house.
The design objectives from the outset have been to develop a proposal that:
The proposal would be primarily discernible from Howstrake headland on route towards Groudle. The scheme will also be visible from the 'B-Road' of Ballamenagh Beg. As a direct response to and in respect of the fact that the site is considered to be an area of 'High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance' the proposal incorporates the planting of new trees along the boundary edge which will aid in shielding the proposal whilst retaining the natural outlook of the site from the viewpoint where the development would be most discernable from.
The coastal path near the ownership boundary climbs up from the coastline to merge with Ballamenagh Beg Road meaning that the only viewpoint of the scheme from the footpath would be as described above. There is no immediate coastal footpath indicated on the Eastern side of the property on the Isle of Man OS Landranger Map.
The proposed scheme has been carefully considered to sit comfortably in its specific location and to have minimal impact on the surrounding landscape. The proposal for the equestrian facilities intends to utilise the site and ground levels of the existing stable blocks as this area has proven to be an efficient use of the site in relation to the existing residential property. This location also allows for the natural valley of the site to be taken full advantage in shielding the mass of the development as again demonstrated by the existing stables and accommodation.
It is not felt that any of the other neighbouring properties are in close enough proximity to be affected by the proposal.
A Visual Impact Assessment is submitted as pert of this application.
As previously stated, the orientation of the proposed main residence is different from the existing property. This is to allow the main frontage of the property to be parallel to the sea and enables the property to sit more comfortably on the site using the existing topography. The orientation of the equestrian facilities designed to compliment the main house, allowing for direct and private access from the main house to the stables for the owners at first floor level. The orientation has also been considered in terms of reducing the mass of the arena. In this respect the arena has been positioned along the length of the ownership curtilage taking full advantage of the natural canopy of the existing woodland.
The orientation has also been considered in respect of the new access road and driveway.
Whilst the existing residence could technically be described as a dormer bungalow, it does in fact house significant areas of first floor accommodation within its roof space and partial roof space areas. The property has been extended over time as per the granted items listed in 4.0, creating a property with a substantial footprint.
Whilst the main body of the proposal is three storey in nature, only two storeys will be discernible to the public. The third lower-ground floor level is subterranean and due to the natural fall in the site will not be discernible, other than from the properties private garden.
The proposal will be a significant increase in size to the existing equestrian facilities. The internal arena is the minimum requirement of any of our potential purposes who wish to own equestrian facilities. A further requirement is that there is a minimum height of 5 m internally at eaves level.
The stables comprise of a number of standard size stables along with a larger birthing stable and associated store rooms and changing rooms.
It is felt that the scale of the proposed scheme is in proportion to the extensive residential curtilage afforded to the existing property, which in turn is only part of a considerable area of ownership.
It is envisaged that the proposed residence will become a landmark property on the island and has been designed as an elegant and understated country manor of architectural merit, worthy of its impressive location.
Reference has been made to John Kitto's book, 'Historic Homes of the Isle of Man' which illustrates and describes many grand detached properties on the island which this proposals seeks to emulate. The houses in this book serve to illustrate the fact that there is no definite architectural style and therefore no definite precedent for large private residences in the countryside on the island. There is however, a theme of classically styled buildings with modest detailing which this proposal replicates.
The adopted classical architectural style of the proposal is fitting to the grandeur and scale of the property whilst bestowing an understated elegance which makes reference to and is sympathetic to existing architectural styles of large houses on the island.
The classically symmetrical frontage, raised entrance, and lower ground floor lighwells of the property are similar to properties on the Island such as Scarlett House, Malew (p105). The proportioned fenestration has been positioned to exploit the incredible uninterrupted panoramic sea views afforded by the site.
A subservient, simplified vernacular style has been employed to the staff / guest accommodation creating an architectural hierarchy. The aesthetic of the out buildings and garaging are sympathetic to their function, adopting a more rustic, purposeful architectural style. The collection of buildings are arranged on the site to take full advantage of the natural fall of the land, creating an estate that appears to have naturally evolved over time.
The design and layout of the stabling and arena is traditional, inkeeping with their surroundings and the principal residence. These again are designed to be subservient to the main residence and will also be perceived as truly reflecting their use. This will primarily be reflected in the materiality and the detailing of the buildings.
It is intended that the highest quality materials be used throughout the project in keeping with the prestigious nature of the scheme.
The proposed primary material of the property is to be Manx stone (or similar) with architectural detailing, such as the window surrounds, the lower ground floor elevation, columns and main entrance surround are to be to be smooth render in a light 'heritage' colour TBC. This combination of Manx stone walls with render is common on the Island and can be found on prestigious properties such as Ormly Hall, Lezayre (p87). In addition, the proposed profiled rendered walls and key stone detailing over ground floor windows can be seen on properties on the Island such as Thornhill Manor, Lezayre (p109)
The windows, glazed doors and glazed roof lanterns will be painted timber frames again in a complimentary light 'heritage' colour TBC. Black cast iron rainwater goods are proposed with black wrought iron railings to the rear veranda, side terrace and external staircases.
A simple traditional palette of external materials has been chosen in order to create a subtle building that is in-keeping with its surroundings.
The material choice for the stables and arena is traditional timber cladding associated and has been used as a reference to the buildings use in order to create a subtle building that blends with its surroundings and that will age with time. A green coloured fibrous cement roof is proposed. This colouring is intended to allow the building to blend with the surrounding vegetation.
The existing vehicular access to the site off Ballamenagh Beg Road is proposed to be redefined as clear private driveway with increased and improved visibility splays in as part of a separate application but has been considered as part of the scheme as a whole. This new driveway layout is derived from the new orientation of the main house and allows for direct access to the reestablished equestrian facilities without passing in front of the main façade of the property.
There is more than adequate parking and areas for manoeuvrability in front of the property for the future residents, staff and visitors.
The property will be sited within 26.4 acres of breath taking surrounding grounds. These include a gated entrance, driveway and turning circle, formal lawns, a tree lines avenue, glen, optional equestrian facilities, associated paddocks and fields.
The impact of the proposal on the existing landscaping and in particular the private woodland has been taken into account from the outset. Prescott Associates, Chartered Landscape Architects were commissioned to undertake a Tree Survey and Landscape Report of the site, copies of which are submitted as part of this application.
In summary we feel this scheme should be supported because:
In light of the above and the enclosed documents we hope that this application will be recommended for approval.
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