4 November 2015 · Council of Ministers
Car Park, Chibbanagh Plantation, Cooil Road, Braaid, Isle Of Man, IM4 2aw
The proposal involves extending the current car park and adding a picnic area within Chibbanagh Plantation on Cooil Road in Braaid. This is a government-led project to improve visitor facilities at the plantation site.
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The Council of Ministers considered the recommendations of the Planning Inspector and determined to approve the application.
Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013 Article 14
The Order requires development to commence within four years. Condition 1 enforces this to avoid accumulation of unimplemented approvals. No other policies are explicitly referenced.
Time limit
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) (No 2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Litter and dog waste receptacles
Prior to the commencement of use of the picnic area or car park hereby approved there must be in place adequate receptacles for the collection of litter and dog waste which may be generated on the site. These receptacles shall be provided in accordance with a scheme of details which shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority prior to their installation. Reason: In the interests of the appearance and hygiene of the site.
Access and visibility splays
Prior to the commencement of any other work on the site, the access and associated visibility splays detailed on Drawing No. 101 Rev. B shall be completed in accordance with that drawing. The visibility splays shall thereafter be retained at all times and maintained free from any obstructions, including signs, over 1.05m in height. Should the provision of the visibility splays result in the removal or reduction of any parts of the hedges on the site frontage, a scheme of reinstatement/replacement shall be completed prior to the commencement of use of the car park extension and picnic area. Reason: In the interests of highway safety, to reduce the impact of construction traffic on the highway network, and to protect the visual amenity, character and appearance of the area.
Retention of car parking
Following completion of the development, the car parking and manoeuvring space included in the scheme shall be retained and shall at all times remain free from obstruction and available for parking of vehicles associated with the use of the plantation. Reason: To prevent the use of the car park as a storage facility, or its use for the long term storage of vehicles not associated with the use of the plantation, and to prevent any reduction in the number of parking spaces.
The original application by DEFA for extension to an existing car park and creation of a picnic area at Chibbanagh Plantation was referred to the Council of Ministers under Article 10 due to DEFA being the applicant and landowner. Key concerns included visual impact, highway safety, and effects on adjacent agricultural land from livestock worrying and disturbance. The appellant argued the proposal supports recreational strategy, improves road safety, and provides public benefits outweighing limited harms. The inspector assessed the issues, finding limited visual harm screened by hedges and future planting, no highway safety issues with conditions, and insufficient evidence of increased agricultural impacts, recommending approval with conditions for time limit, litter/dog waste bins, visibility splays with hedge reinstatement, and retention of parking spaces.
Precedent Value
This appeal shows that recreational infrastructure in government forest estates can be approved if aligned with strategic policies like GP3 exceptions, with harms mitigated by screening/conditions, even against farmer objections lacking evidence of material increase in impacts. Future applicants should provide technical highway details, strategy alignment, and propose informatives/conditions for neighbour liaison.
Inspector: Stephen Amos MA (Cantab) MCD MRTPI
