Officer Planning Report Recommendation

Planning Report And Recommendations {{table:452991}} ### Considerations {{table:452988}} ### Written Representations ### Consultations {{table:452989}} {{table:452990}}

Officer's Report

The Site

The site defined in red represents a paddock associated with Bay View, a modern bungalow situated on the western side of the A3 Ballamodha Straight immediately to the north of the application site. Bay View is defined in blue.

The site extends to approximately an acre although the land of which the applicant has use extends to almost 6 acres including the house. The stables presently accommodated on the site represent three stables with a tack room. Proposed are five stables with a food store and tack room. The stables are timber and have a footprint of 9m by 11.5m and 4m deep.

Planning Status

The site lies within an area designated on the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Order 1982 as "white land", that is, not designated for development. On the draft Southern Area Plan which was published on 23rd October, 2009 the site lies within an area of Incised Slopes where the following advice is provided:

"Incised Slopes - Ballamodha - Landscape Character Area 2 - Ballamodha, Earystane, and St Mark's:

This is a fairly resilient landscape which has accommodated incursions of modern built development without severe detriment. However, some of the larger-scale residential developments lack either the topographical setting or the groups of trees which might have mitigated their visual impact."

The draft Planning Policy Statement 2/09 - The Role of Landscape Character in Development states:

"4.5 Type D: Incised Slopes

The overall strategy for the protection and enhancement of the Incised Slopes Landscape Character Type is to conserve and enhance: the remote and rural character; the relatively sparse settlement pattern of traditional hamlets and scattered farm buildings; the network of sunken and enclosed rural roads; and the substantial hedgerows and sod banks dividing irregularly-shaped pastoral fields. Key landscape planning considerations in relation to the protection and enhancement of this Landscape Character Type are as follows:-

• Care should be taken to ensure that housing and business development does not detract from the distinctive identity and setting of settlements, and avoids coalescence with other settlements within this Landscape Type;
• The design and layout of new housing and business development should include appropriate native structure planting to soften urban edges and enhance the transition to the wider landscape;
• Approach routes, key views, and gateways to settlements within these landscapes should be enhanced;
• Linear development along roads from settlements that extends urbanising influences into the wider countryside should be avoided;
• The use of local vernacular building styles and materials should be encouraged;
• New farm buildings that would compromise the pattern and scale of farmsteads across the undulating Incised Slopes landscapes should be discouraged;
• Care should be taken to minimise loss of hedgerows, sod banks, and other distinctive boundary features along road corridors;
• Tourist-related development, such as camp-sites, should avoid visually prominent locations, particularly those which can be viewed from higher land and those which would extend urbanising influence along the coast;
• Care should be taken to avoid the suburbanisation of river valleys and stream corridors;
• Tall vertical telecommunications masts or structures which detract from the sloping landform or create visual clutter should be avoided."

Planning History

Planning permission was sought for the following developments: PA 08/1862 - erection of stables - permitted PA 08/0122 - erection of a detached garage - permitted PA 07/1873 - alterations and erection of extensions - permitted

The Proposal

Proposed now is an extension to the stables to accommodate a further two stables and feed room, extending the length of one arm of the stables by 9.5 m . The finishes of the building are to match the existing.

Representations

Highways and Traffic Division indicate that they do not oppose the application.

Assessment

The stables are already in existence and their extension will alter only marginally their visual impact. The existing building is not visible from the main road and as such the proposed extension will have a similarly marginal, if any visual impact. The siting is close to an existing building group and associated with an existing dwelling and as such is considered acceptable and not contrary to Environment Policy 19 which states: "Development of equestrian activities and buildings will only be accepted in the countryside where there will be as a result of such development no loss in local amenity, no loss of

high quality agricultural land (Classes 1 and 2) and where the local highway network can satisfactorily accommodate any increase in traffic (see Environment Policy 14 for interpretation of Class 1 and 2)."

PARTY STATUS

The local authority is, 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.

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Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 27.08.2010

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Conditions and Notes for Approval / Reasons and Notes for Refusal

C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions R : Reasons for refusal O : Notes attached to refusals

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C 1.

The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.

C 2.

This permission relates to the extension of the existing stables as shown in drawings reference 10/44/01 Rev A received on 18th August, 2010 and 10/44/02 received on 22nd July, 2010.

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I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to the Senior Planning Officer. Decision Made : Permitted Date : ................................ Signed : ................................ Senior Planning Officer

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31 August 2010 10/01106/B Page 3 of 3