Officer Report

Application No.: 15/01071/B Applicant: Robert Simon Douglas Riggall Proposal: Erection of an agricultural building Site Address: Corner Of Field 432837 Church Farm Great Meadow Castletown Isle of Man Case Officer : Miss Melissa McKnight Photo Taken: 06.10.2015 Site Visit: 06.10.2015 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation

Officer’s Report

1.0 THE APPLICATION SITE - 1.1 The application site is the Field 432837, a rectangular shaped field located on the eastern side of the A3, Malew. - 1.2 The application site equates to 7.7 acres. There are currently no other buildings within Field

1. The farm holding itself accommodates 5 stone outbuildings, a dwelling, one large metal clad agricultural building and a menage.

1.3 During a site visit it was evident that the stone buildings were being utilised as stabling facilities. There was also a number of members of staff present.

2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The current planning application seeks approval for the erection of an agricultural building within the south eastern corner of Field 432837. - 2.2 The proposed building would have a length of just less than 31 metres, width of just less than 19 metres and height of just less than 6.8 metres. The building would be open at the bottom with profile plasticol coated sheets to the upper body. The roof would be finished with single skin cement sheets and would have 20 roof lights in each roof slope. - 2.3 The building is required for the storage of hay and straw to provide more space within the existing barn for the processing, drying and storage of cereals for human consumption and to make the existing barn vermin free under the terms and conditions of the SAI Global Farm Assurance.

3.0 PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Planning approval was granted in 2013 under PA 13/91385/B for the clearing and grade waste ground to the north of the existing barn to create a schooling arena to be used in conjunction with the existing commercial equine business.

- 4.0 PLANNING POLICY

4.1 In terms of local plan policy, the application site lies within an area zoned as 'White Space' under the Area Plan for the South 2013. - 4.2 In terms of strategic plan policy, the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 contains three policies that are considered materially relevant 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."

5.0 REPRESENTATIONS - 5.1 Malew Parish Commissioners have no objection to the current planning application (09/10/2015). - 5.2 The Department of Infrastructure Highway Services do not oppose the current planning application (30/09/2015). - 5.3 Manx Utilities initially objected to the application but following consultation, are content that the proposed development no longer affects Manx Utilities Equipment. Therefore Manx Utilities would like to remove the initial objection, 15/10/2015, to this application (19/11/2015).

6.0 ASSESSMENT - 6.1 As already outlined under paragraph 2 of this report, the proposed building is required for the storage of hay and straw to provide more space within the existing barn for the processing, drying and storage of cereals for human consumption and to make the existing barn vermin free under the terms and conditions of the SAI Global Farm Assurance. At present the hay and straw is stored within the cereal storage barn. It is necessary that this existing building is vermin free in

• order for the grain to be sold for premium prices and for human consumption. In 2015, Church Farm invested in a new grain storage and handling system.
• 6.2 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 that Planning & Building Control should be satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new building, sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development in the countryside.
• 6.3 As shown on the submitted Location Plan, the Church Farm holding extends to just short of 80 hectares. As previously mentioned, Church Farm does have a number of existing agricultural buildings that are currently used for the storage with the stone buildings used for stabling. The building proposed would provide the required storage of hay and straw and allow for the production of cereal grains for human consumption which would not only create an additional function of Church Farm but also advance the long-term viability and vitality of Church Farm by being able to provide an additional product.
• 6.4 It is considered that the use of the building in allowing Church Farm to expand their production and services is agriculturally justified.
• 6.5 With the justification accepted it is 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, whilst the building would be erected within Field 432837, the building would be 23 metres from the existing metal clad agricultural building and 10 metres from an existing stone stable block.
• 6.6 Travelling south along the A3, towards Castletown, the proposed building would be visible from the highway, predominantly from Malew Church and Church Bends located over 415 metres from the proposed building. As one approaches the site, the existing planting along the western edge of part of Field 432836 and the full western boundary of the application field would screen the building, or at least the screen the majority of the building. Travelling north along the A3, the proposed building would not be readily visible given the existing screening along the southern side of the site and existing building buildings of Church Farm.
• 6.7 Although the building would be visible from the A3, it is not considered that the building would appear isolated or incongruous as a result of the existing buildings and menage of Church Farm. Whilst the building proposed would be erected within Field 432837, it would be sited within close proximity to other existing farm buildings and would be read in conjunction with the existing buildings of Church Farm.
• 6.8 With some applications where agricultural buildings are granted planning permission, they are sometimes subject to a condition ensuring that the building is finished in a dark green or olive colour to assist in softening the appearance of the building and to help the building blend in with the landscape or the environment the building may sit within. In the case of this application, the attachment of such a condition is not felt necessary on the grounds that the existing agricultural barn is of a grey colour and the existing stone buildings are of various shades of grey and other dark colours. It is therefore considered having the building finished in a green colour may result in the building appearing more apparent and out of keeping within the area.

6.9 On assessment, given the limited views of the application site and the fact that views of the proposed building would be distant, the proposal is considered to be acceptable and comply with the provisions set out in General Policy 3 and Environment Policy 15.

7.0 RECOMMENDATION - 7.1 It is for the reasons set out above that the planning application is considered acceptable and as such is recommended for approval.

8.0 PARTY STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No 2) Order 2013, the following persons are automatically interested persons:

• (a) The applicant, or if there is one, the applicant's agent;
• (b) The owner and the occupier of any land that is the subject of the application or any other person in whose interest the land becomes vested;
• (c) Any Government Department that has made written submissions relating to planning considerations with respect to the application that the Department considered material, in this case Manx Utilities and Department of Infrastructure Highway Services; (e) The local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated.

With effect from 1 June 2015, the Transfer of Planning & Building Control Functions Order 2015 amends the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to give effect to the meaning of the word 'Department' to be the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture unless otherwise directed by that Order.

Recommendation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 20.11.2015 Conditions and Notes for Approval: C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions

• 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.

• C 2. The agricultural building hereby approved shall be removed and the ground restored to its former condition in the event that it is no longer used or required for agricultural purposes.

Reason: The building has been exceptionally approved solely to meet agricultural need and its subsequent retention would result in an unwarranted intrusion in the countryside.

This approval relates to Plan No 1, Drawing No. 3 and 4 date stamped as received 22nd September 2015, Plan No 2A date stamped as received 27th October 201 and Plan No 5 Revision A Date stamped as received 3rd November 2015.

I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Senior Planning Officer in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation.

Decision Made : Permitted Date: 20.11.2015 Determining officer

Signed : S CORLETT Sarah Corlett Senior Planning Officer

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