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15/00113/B
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PLANNING OFFICER REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Application No. : 15/00113/B Applicant : J R Creer Ltd Proposal : Erection of an extension to existing barn Site Address : Middle Cordeman Farm Cordeman Road St Marks Ballasalla Isle Of Man
Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Photo Taken :
Site Visit : 17.02.2015 Expected Decision Level : Officer Delegation
Officer’s Report
1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE
1.1 The application site is Middle Cordeman Farm, an existing working farm sited on the western side of Cordeman Road, St Mark's. The application site is located 240+ metres from the highway and is access via a narrow track which is bounded by hedging and natural vegetation on each side.
1.2 Currently on site are a farmhouse, a farm shop and three agricultural buildings. The farm is only partially visible from Cordeman Road with distant views also attainable from the B30 that is located 750+ metres to the south of the application site.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL
2.1 The planning application seeks approval for an extension to an existing agricultural building.
2.2 The proposed extension would be erected to the eastern elevation of the existing building and would project just less than 8.4 metres from the existing elevation and would have a length of 30 metres as the existing. The proposed new extension would have a cat slide roof with a maximum height of 4.5 metres.
2.3 The proposed building would be finished in green coloured profiled cladding to match the existing and would also have five roof lights installed on the roof slope measuring all of which would measure 1 x 0.5 metres; as the existing.
2.4 The proposed new extension would be used for a variety of farming operations including the storage of agricultural plant and machinery used within the farm, seasonal nursery pens for lambing and calving, overspill livestock shelter during periods of inclement weather and further storage of animal feed that can, on occasion, be purchased from the farm in bulk quantities.
3.0 PLANNING HISTORY
3.1 The application site has been the subject of five previous planning applications, all of which were granted planning approval and have been listed below:
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15/00113/B
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PA 12/00841/B: Alteration and extension to existing farm shop to create cafe facility and creation of new vehicular access.
PA 11/00909/B: Erection of a farm workers dwelling.
PA 08/01139/B: Erection of an agricultural building (comprising an amendment to 06/00303B).
PA 06/00303/B: Erection of an agricultural building
PA 04/02285/B: Erection of a farm shop with associated facilities
4.0 PLANNING POLICY
4.1 The application site is located within an area of 'White Space', open countryside under the Isle of Man 1982 Development Plan.
4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains three policies that are considered specifically material to the assessment of this current planning application
General Policy 3 states: "Development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of:
f) building and engineering operations which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry
Environment Policy 1 states: "The countryside and its ecology will be protected for its own sake. For the purposes of this policy, the countryside comprises all land which is outside the settlements defined in Appendix 3 at A.3.6 or which is not designated for future development on an Area Plan. Development which would adversely affect the countryside will not be permitted unless there is an over- riding national need in land use planning terms which outweighs the requirement to protect these areas and for which there is no reasonable and acceptable alternative".
Environment Policy 15 states: "Where the Department is satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building (including a dwelling), sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside, and that the impact of this development including buildings, accesses, servicing etc. is acceptable, such development must be sited as close as is practically possible to existing building groups and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour, siting and form to ensure that all new developments are sympathetic to the landscape and built environment of which they form a part.
Only in exceptional circumstances will buildings be permitted in exposed or isolated areas or close to public highways and in all such cases will be subject to appropriate landscaping. The nature and materials of construction must also be appropriate to the purposes for which is it intended.
Where new agricultural buildings are proposed next to or close to existing residential properties care must be taken to ensure that there is no unacceptable adverse impact through any activity, although it must be borne in mind that many farming activities require buildings which are best sited, in landscape terms, close to existing building groups in the rural landscape."
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15/00113/B
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5.0 REPRESENTATIONS
5.1 At the time of writing there have been no written representations made regarding the current planning application.
6.0 ASSESSMENT
6.1 When determining any agricultural development within the countryside that is not zoned for development, General Policy 3 Paragraph F of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 is used to assess the application. This policy states that development will not be permitted outside of those areas which are zoned for development on the appropriate Area Plan with the exception of those buildings which are essential for the conduct of agriculture or forestry. Further to this policy, the first paragraph of Environment Policy 15 requires first the Planning Authority needs to be satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building, sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside.
6.2 Given that the proposal is for an extension of an existing agricultural building and reasoning has been given for the need of the extension, the agricultural justification is accepted and it is therefore necessary to consider the site specific impacts of the proposed development. In this regard it is necessary to take account of the provisions of Environment Policy 15. This policy states that development must be sited as close as is practically possible to existing building groups and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour, siting and form to ensure that all new developments are sympathetic to the landscape and built environment of which they will form a part of. In this respect the proposed new extension would be erected adjoining an existing agricultural building and will not have an adverse visual impact on its surroundings given the substantial screening present in the area and distance of the farm from main public thoroughfares. The proposed new extension would be finished in materials to match the existing building. As such the proposal is considered to be acceptable and comply with the provisions set out in Environment Policy 15.
6.3 As the proposed new proposed extension is to form part of an existing agricultural building it is considered that the location for development is acceptable. It is now imperative to consider the site specific impacts of the proposed development on the character and quality of the landscape.
6.4 Although distant views of the extension may be attainable, given the substantial screening of the site and distance of the site from any public thoroughfares, what would be visible would not be of a level or scale that would harm public amenity and detract from the character and appearance of the Manx countryside. In addition to this, the development is an extension to an existing barn of an established farm with farm shop so the development would not be completely incongruous within its setting.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
7.1 Overall it is considered that the planning application is in accordance with General Policy 3 and Environment Policy 15 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 an as such the planning application is recommended for approval.
8.0 PARTY STATUS
8.1 In line with Article 6(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013, the following Persons are considered to have sufficient interest in the subject matter of the application to take part in any subsequent proceedings relating to the application: the applicant or, if there is one, the applicant's agent; the owner and occupier of
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15/00113/B
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the land the subject of the application, Highway Services, and the Local Authority in whose district the land the subject of the application sits.
Recommendation
Recommended Decision:
Permitted Date of Recommendation: 04.03.2015
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
C 1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Reason: To comply with article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
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This approval relates to Location Plan and Drawing nos. 1278.1, 1278.2, 1278.3 and 1278.4 all date stamped as received on 2nd February 2015.
I confirm that this decision accords with the appropriate Government Circular delegating functions to Director of Planning and Building Control /Head of Development Management/ Senior Planning Officer.
Decision Made : Permitted Date : 13.03.2015
Determining officer (delete as appropriate)
Signed :... Chris Balmer
Senior Planning Officer
Signed :... Sarah Corlett
Senior Planning Officer
Signed :...M GALLAGHER..
Michael Gallagher
Director of Planning and Building Control
Signed :... Jennifer Chance
Head of Development Management
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