THIS APPLICATION IS REFERRED TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AS THE SITE IS IN THE OWNERSHIP OF A PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBER AND THERE IS AN OBJECTION FROM THE LOCAL AUTHORITY
The Site
The site is part of a field which lies on the north western side of the A26 Braaid - Glen Vine highway. The field is 2.5 acres in size and the application site 0.2 acres in size and located in the southern corner of the larger field. There is an access to the field, which lies within the application site and another access to the south west of the site which provides access in to the adjacent field and ultimately into the remainder of the field in which the application site is located.
Within the site is a stone building which is 3.8m from the highway (2.6m from the edge of the site). It sits higher than the road and the field continues to rise to the north west of the building.
The boundary between the road and the building is formed by a sod hedge with self-seeded trees growing within it (ash, whitebeam and hawthorn) and a few conifers which cumulatively provide an effective visual screen of the building from the public highway.
The building is a stone structure with an external footprint of 8.4m by 7m and is 5.3m tall with a roof finished in corrugated metal sheets. There is a vehicular access in the north eastern elevation and a first floor level opening in the south western elevation. Internally the ceiling height at ground floor level is 3.3m.
Braaid Farm lies on the opposite side of the road – a dwelling with outbuildings: White House and Deerae lie further south towards the crossroads on the same side of the road. On the north western side of the road, some 75m away from the application site, are Holmlea and its associated outbuilding.
The Proposal
Proposed is the principal of the conversion of the building to a dwelling. A lot of detailed information has been provided to illustrate how the conversion could take place. The existing
Application No.:
12/01515/A
Applicant:
Gilbey Farms Limited
Proposal:
Approval in principle to convert existing barn into a dwelling including an extension to the building
Site Address:
Barn
Field 321757
Braaid Road
Braaid
Isle Of Man
access will be retained and a firm accessway created to the building in the form of a 2.7m wide roadway with a parking/turning facility at the entrance. All existing roadside trees are to be retained. The creation of a safe means of access will necessitate the possible lowering of the hedge alongside the site, all of which is in the ownership of the applicant company.
The building is to be retained and the existing aperture on the north east retained and glazed to form patio doors. No other windows are proposed on this elevation. The roadside elevation currently has no window or door openings: proposed is a new window 1100mm high and 1000mm wide. Three Conservation style rooflights are proposed in the pitch facing the road 850mm long and 500mm wide with a central bar. The south western elevation facing towards the field hedge is to retain the first floor level aperture and have a half and half split window installed. On the north western elevation is to be an extension which will project 7m from the side of the building. This is set back from the south western elevation by 450mm. This will have an arrangement of windows and doors. This will have a higher floor area - 1m higher than the existing building, taking account of the rise in natural ground level. The main building will have a ceiling height of 2300mm and a small mezzanine level accommodating a study.
The roof is be finished in natural slate with angled ridge tiles.
The extension represents an increase of 73% over and above the existing, as measured externally. The extension is set back from the existing building and lower in height and is neither as long nor as wide as the existing.
Planning Status And Policy
The site lies within an area which is not designated for development on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982.
There are policies in the Strategic Plan which provide support for conversion of buildings of interest:
Housing Policy 11 states "Conversion of existing rural buildings into dwellings may be permitted but only where,
a) redundancy for the original use can be established; b) the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation; c) the building is of architectural, historic or social interest; d) the building is large enough to form a satisfactory dwelling, either as it stands or with modest, subordinate extension which does not affect adversely the character or interest of the building; e) residential use would not be incompatible with adjoining established uses or, where appropriate land use zonings on the area plans; and f) the building is or can be provided with satisfactory services without unreasonable public expenditure.
Such conversion must:
a) where practicable and desirable, re-establish the original appearance of the building; and b) use the same materials as those in the existing building.
Permission will not be given for the rebuilding of ruins or the erection of replacement building of similar, or even identical form.
Further extension of converted buildings will not usually be permitted, since this would lead to loss or reduction of the original interest and character."
Planning History
The site has not been the subject of any previous planning applications. To the north, PA 97/01184 was refused for the erection of a dwelling and to the south, PA 98/02201 was similarly refused.
Representations
Marown Parish Commissioners object to the application on the basis that the site is not designated for development, the arrangements for access are unsatisfactory as visibility is poor and the road is at its narrowest, they do not believe that the barn is redundant and anticipate a further application for a new agricultural building if this is approved. They are aware of neighbouring residents' objections and concur with these.
The residents of Braaid Farm object to the application, commenting that the site is not designated for development and the "erection of a dwelling on the site would be contrary to the established planning policies aimed at protecting the Manx countryside". [It should be noted that the application is not to erect a dwelling but to convert an existing building to a dwelling, for which there are, in principle, policies to support this.] They consider that the building is in poor condition and is not worthy of conversion and the site is damp. They query whether the building is redundant as they are aware that up until relatively recently the building has been used by a farmer for storage and may well still be. They are concerned about the width of the road and that approval would establish a precedent for further dwellings in the area.
Highways Division recommend that provided that all vegetation and walling within the visibility splays are reduced to 1m or below, the application is acceptable.
The owners of The White House express concerns similar to those in Braaid Farm. They also refer to PAs 10/1212 and 98/02201. PA 98/02201 is referred to above - PA 10/01212 was a proposal for the principle of a new dwelling alongside Braaid Hall and was refused.
The owners of Deerae object to the application on the basis that the site is not designated for development and the field and the fields around it are used for agricultural purposes and the building is not redundant. The express concern about the access and the precedent which may be established if the application were approved.
The Manx Electricity Authority seek consultation regarding the provision of an electricity supply to the premises. This is not a material planning consideration and should not be referred to in any schedule of conditions.
The owner of Braaid Cottage objects to the application as the Island is "awash with domestic property for sale" and that approval of this application could "open the door" to further development".
Assessment
The building was formerly associated with Braaid Farm whose farm buildings lie on the other side of the A26. It has not been actively used for any particular purpose for many years, illustrated by the relative lack of use of the access way into the field. The applicant's agent also advises that on their site visit, the door into the building was difficult to open, suggesting that it hadn't been opened for some time, and that inside were a "couple of old farm implements and some pieces of timber" (e-mail dated 11th December, 2012). The horses which graze the field are stabled elsewhere. As such, it is accepted that the building is redundant for its original purpose and unlikely to be used for agricultural or equestrian purposes in the future, given its relatively isolated position in respect to the other buildings operated in association with this holding. If any further application were submitted for a new agricultural/equestrian building as a replacement for this, it will be noted that this building was considered by the applicant to be redundant and the evidence of what was stored inside, would be unlikely to justify a further building under EP15.
The applicant has provided supporting information indicating that the building is constructed of 500mm thick Manx stone which are "reasonably sound with no evidence of apparent subsidence" and within 50mm tolerance of verticality throughout. Whilst there are two internal cracks these are considered to be "old", show no sign of movement and are not apparent on the outer walls. The required internal dry-lining and insulation will accommodate this.
The internal floor is a typical compacted earth floor and would be required to be leveled and insulated. The roof has been inspected and is considered by the applicant to be sound but will be inspected and repaired as necessary.
As such it is considered that the building is structurally capable of being converted to a dwelling.
The building is an attractive and sound building which is visible, although not prominent in the rural landscape. It gives an indication of how the land was formerly managed. As such it is considered appropriate for consideration for conversion under the terms of the policy.
The building provides 35 sq m of floor space which is large enough to accommodate one permanent resident under the Housing (Flats) Regulations 1982. The policy allows for extensions where these are "modest and subordinate" and where they "do not affect adversely the character or interest of the building." In this case the extension is more than 50% of the size of the existing which perhaps is not considered subordinate. However, the extension is smaller in width and length than the existing building, lower in height and is set back from the sides of the building where it will be attached. Reduction of the size of the extension will probably reduce the internal accommodation from two bedrooms to one.
The access into the site exists although the development would require a hard surfaced drive into the site and parked vehicle would appear once the building were used as a dwelling. The site would become domestic in appearance and character, as would any site which is the subject of conversion under HP11 and some degree of change is inevitable. Whilst there are local concerns about the safety of the access, Highways Division do not object provided that any hedging or walling within the visibility splay is lower than 1m in height.
It is considered that the principle of the conversion of the building to a dwelling complies with the provisions of Housing Policy 11 and as such the application is recommended for approval. The Planning Committee may consider that the proposed extension is not modest nor subordinate and that any extension should be no greater than 50% of the floor area of the existing building (measured externally) and such a condition attached if the application is approved.
Party Status
The local authority, Marown Parish Commissioners are, by virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2005, paragraph 6 (5) (d), considered an "interested person" and as such should be afforded party status.
The Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is now part of the Department of Infrastructure of which the planning authority is part. As such, the Highways and Traffic Division cannot be afforded party status in this instance.
The residents of Braaid Farm are directly opposite the site and would be affected by the proposed works and as such should be afforded party status in this case.
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