31 March 2021 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Sarah Corlett)
Field 425031, Ronague Road, Ronague, Castletown, Isle Of Man, IM9 4hg
The proposal involves erecting two polytunnels, each 4.8m wide by 10.6m long with polythene covers over metal frames using a screw-in system with no fixed foundations, on a 7.5-acre agricultural field used for an orchard, market garden, and coppice wood.
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The officer established that there is a general presumption against development in the countryside under General Policy 3, but an exception applies for buildings essential for agriculture or horticult…
General Policy 3
Permits development outside zoned areas exceptionally for buildings essential for agriculture or forestry. Officer assessed horticultural need as sufficient based on site use evidence, temporary design, and Class 3 land suitability, establishing principle acceptability.
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside from adverse effects unless overriding national need with no alternative. Proposal's screening, agricultural fit, and no ecological harm outweighed protection needs, with no adverse countryside impact.
Environment Policy 15
Permits agricultural/horticultural buildings if need outweighs countryside policy, sited near building groups, appropriate scale/form, screened if needed. Polytunnels' scale, location near farm track, metal frame/polythene materials, and visual screening met tests.
Environment Policy 17
Permits nursery/market garden facilities if in keeping with character, no amenity/highway harm, screened from highways. Structures fit agricultural character, screened from public gaze, no amenity or highway issues.
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Removal if disused
The polytunnels hereby approved shall be removed and the ground restored to its former condition in the event that they are no longer used or required for agricultural purposes for a period in excess of 12 months. Reason: The buildings have been exceptionally approved solely to meet horticultural/agricultural needs and its subsequent retention would result in an unwarranted intrusion in the countryside.
Use restriction
The polytunnels hereby approved may only be used for horticultural/agricultural purposes i.e. growing or associated horticultural/agricultural storage only and for no other purposes. Reason: The countryside is protected from development and an exception is being made on the basis of horticultural/agricultural need. As such the building must be used for the purposes for which it is approved.
Do Not Oppose
support the application
DEFA Ecosystem Policy Officer initially requested a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal due to marshy grassland and orchids but later confirmed no ecological constraints other than frogs and requested an informative note; Highways raised no opposition; Arbory and Rushen Parish Commissioners supported the application.
Key concern: potential for frogs (Schedule 5 protected species)
DEFA Ecosystem Policy Officer
Conditional No ObjectionMarshy grassland is a rare habitat on the Isle of Man; we have records of orchids in the vicinity of this site; Protected Species Local Ecological Assessment... is all in order; A search for frogs and frogspawn... should be undertaken immediately before work commences and during works. If frogs are found... all work should stop immediately and advice sought
Conditions requested: Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA) adhering to CIEEM (2017) Guidelines by suitably qualified ecologist prior to determination; If marshy grassland lost, equal area created joining existing habitat
DEFA Ecosystem Policy Officer
Conditional No Objectionthe Protected Species Local Ecological Assessment... is all in order and an appropriate level of assessment has been undertaken; Other than the potential for frogs... no ecological constraints to the development were recognised; As per recommendation 3 in section 6.0 of the report, the Ecosystem Policy Team request the following note on the approval
Conditions requested: A search for frogs and frogspawn (protected on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Act 1990) should be undertaken immediately before work commences and during works. If frogs are found at any stage, before or during operations then all work should stop immediately and advice sought from the DEFA Ecosystem Policy Team or Liz Charter.
Arbory and Rushen Parish Commissioners
SupportThe following applications were considered and supported by the Board... c) 20/01274/B Field 420959 Ronague Road. Erection of two Polytunnels.
Department of Infrastructure Highways Division
No ObjectionDo not oppose; After reviewing this Application, Highway Services find it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network efficiency and /or parking.
Highway Services
No ObjectionHighway Services notes the additional information on ecology and we continue to raise no opposition to this proposal.
