22 May 2006 · Delegated - Director of Planning and Building Control (M. I. McCauley)
Greenhills Sanctuary, The Stables, Greenhils, Jurby Road, Andreas, Isle Of Man, IM7 2ej
The application sought full planning approval for a steel-framed agricultural building measuring 13.8m long, 9.1m wide and 4.3m to ridge height, clad in box profile plastisol coated metal sheets, for secure storage of animal foodstuffs, tractors and machinery on an unzoned agricultural field south of Jurby Road (A13), …
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The officer considered the proposed building's isolated location 400m from Farrants Fort inappropriate, as general policy requires new agricultural buildings adjacent to existing groups to avoid spora…
General Policy 2
Requires development in unzoned countryside to respect openness and character; officer assessed siting as isolated/sporadic, partially visible from highway, failing to relate to existing buildings or screening adequately. Tension arose from agricultural justification claim, but policy prioritised visual amenity protection.
Policy EP18 (Isle of Man Strategic Plan Modified Draft)
Protects countryside from inappropriate development; applied to refuse due to harm from prominent feature in open landscape, exacerbated by lack of need evidence and isolation from farm complex.
no objection
no comments / no objection
SPMC&E objects to the erection of an agricultural building due to doubts over agricultural need and farm status, while Jurby Parish Commissioners have no objections.
Key concern: no agricultural need as Farrant’s Fort is no longer a working farm
SPMCE
ObjectionThis claims to be associated with Farrant’s Fort from an agricultural viewpoint. However it seems to be well known locally that Farrant’s Fort is no longer a working farm, but rather concentrating on alternative functions. How can there be an ‘agricultural need’ for this building?; An agricultural worker’s dwelling seems to have been approved here (04/0639) but its location is not shown on the submitted drawings.; It is all rather confusing and as it involves a new building in the countryside, the Society must OBJECT, pending an further information forthcoming.
Jurby Parish Commissioners
No Objectionmy Commissioners have now considered the above proposed development, and have no objections thereto.
The original application for erection of an agricultural building (13.8m x 9.1m, 4.2m ridge height) on field 124020, Greenhill, Jurby Road, Andreas was refused by the Director of Planning and Building Control on 19 May 2006 for two reasons: the building's prominent and incongruous impact on countryside character and visual amenities, and failure to demonstrate unsuitability of existing outbuildings at Farrants Fort. The appellant argued the building was minimally sized, well-screened by vegetation, compatible with surrounding agricultural uses, and necessary for storing machinery on retained land after selling Farrants Fort due to retirement and health issues. The inspector accepted that existing outbuildings at Farrants Fort could be unsuitable post-sale but found insufficient evidence of agricultural need for the substantial building on the small 7-acre holding, deeming it excessive and harmful to visual amenities despite partial screening. The appeal was dismissed on 13 October 2006, upholding refusal with modified reasoning.
Precedent Value
This appeal emphasises the high evidential threshold for proving genuine agricultural need in the Manx countryside, particularly for retirement-related downscaling on small holdings. Future applicants must provide detailed, quantified justification of farming operations and why existing facilities are truly unsuitable, beyond personal circumstances.
Inspector: G Farrington
