22 November 2021 · Council of Ministers
Knockaloe Farm, Patrick Village, Isle Of Man, IM5 3aj
The proposal involves converting existing offices at Knockaloe Farm into tea rooms and repurposing an office and storage shed into a farm shop split into two areas: one 34sq m for local produce and another 53.49sq m for agricultural supplies. This is located in a countryside setting in Patrick Village.
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Approval was granted based on the Planning Inspector's assessment in paragraphs 36-39 and 41-42 of his report, which the Council of Ministers followed.
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.
Tied to farm use
The farm shop and tea room hereby approved shall be for the benefit of 'Knockaloe Farm' only and shall not be run independently of the farm. Reason: To prevent the undesirable establishment of a more general retail or tea room use in this countryside location.
Farm Shop C extent
The extent of the farm shop shall not extend beyond the 34sq m area marked 'Proposed Farm Shop C' on drawing number 2435/PL01 Rev B, received 30th Sept 2021. Reason: To prevent the undesirable spread or establishment of larger scale general retail use in this countryside location, harming rural amenity or established retail centres.
Farm Shop D extent
The extent of the agricultural and country farm supplies shop shall not extend beyond the 53.49sq m area marked 'Proposed Farm Shop D' on drawing number 2435/PL01 Rev B received 30th Sept 2021. Reason: To prevent the undesirable spread or establishment of larger scale general retail use in this countryside location, harming rural amenity or established retail centres.
Goods in Farm Shop C
The goods sold from Farm Shop Area C hereby approved shall be sourced from produce solely grown or produced on the Isle of Man and/or seafood products caught off the Isle of Man or processed on the Isle of Man and any ancillary and complementary items to the use of the building as a farm shop or the history of the wider site. Reason: The specific retail elements of this application have been assessed on an exception basis in this countryside location and any general retail items would need to be assessed as part of a separate application.
Goods in Farm Shop D
The goods sold from Farm Shop D hereby approved shall be limited to agricultural and country farm supplies including seeds, gate and fencing materials, animal bedding and animal feed. Reason: The specific retail elements of this application have been assessed as an exception in this countryside location and any general retail items would need to be assessed as part of a separate application.
No other Class 1.1 uses
Notwithstanding the provisions of Conditions 5 and 6, those parts of the building shown as Farm Shop C and Farm Shop D shall not be used for any other purpose within Class 1.1 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2019 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification). Reason: The specific retail elements of this application have been assessed as an exception in this countryside location. Any subsequent or general retail use would need to be assessed as part of a separate application.
Operating hours
No customers shall be served or remain in the tearoom or farm shop hereby approved outside of hours of 0800 to 2200 on any day. Reason: In the interests of neighbouring and public amenity.
Highways Division (DOI) does not oppose the application and recommends bicycle parking, electric vehicle charging points, and passing places. Patrick Parish Commissioners raised no objection to the amended plans.
Department of Infrastructure Highways Division
No ObjectionAfter reviewing this Application, Highway Services find it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network efficiency and /or parking.; To aid two-way movements one or two passing places should be considered along the access way.; An electric vehicle charging point and bicycle parking should be considered. The latter for staff and visitors each at one to 100sqm. Those for staff should be in a secure and covered storage facility. All should be easily reached and separate from the waste bin store.
Department of Infrastructure Highways Division
No ObjectionHighways Development Control notes the additions and amendments uploaded on 30 September 2021 and continues to not oppose this proposal.; As commented on 11 August 2021, bicycle parking and an electric vehicle charging points should be provided.
Patrick Parish Commissioners
No ObjectionNO OBJECTION would be made to the following: 21/00792 - Change of use to farm shop and tea room at Knockaloe Farm, Patrick (Amended Plans)
Patrick Parish Commissioners
No CommentThe following Application has a consultation period that ends before the Commissioners are next due to meet... it would be helpful... if consideration could be deferred until after the end of that week: 21/00792 - Change of use at Knockaloe Farm, Patrick (Amended)
The original application for change of use at Knockaloe Farm in an Area of High Landscape Value was handled independently due to DEFA ownership, with no explicit refusal reasons stated but concerns over countryside retail policies implied. The appellant argued for diversification using redundant buildings, supporting local produce sales, reducing travel, and complementing the farm's heritage. The inspector agreed with DEFA's assessment that the buildings are redundant and worthy of conversion, found no visual, highway, or amenity harms, and deemed the small-scale farm shop and tea room compliant with policies via exceptions for farm-related retail. The proposal was approved subject to strict conditions limiting scale, goods, and hours to protect rural amenity and town centres.
Precedent Value
Sets precedent for small-scale farm diversification in countryside/AHLV via redundant buildings, provided tightly conditioned to local produce/agricultural supplies only. Future applicants should emphasise farm linkage, proportionality, and no town centre harm.
Inspector: Brian J Sims
