15 December 2021 · Planning Committee
Ashtree Cottage, Ballavitchel Road, Crosby, Isle Of Man, IM4 2dl
The proposal involves converting an unused agricultural stone outbuilding within the curtilage of Ashtree Cottage into a home office space with desk, sofa, WC, and storage areas, creating 45 sqm of additional floorspace.
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The proposal represents a modest and sensitive conversion of a redundant outbuilding within a residential curtilage, with design detailing to tie it to the main house.
Strategic Policy 1
Supports the use of redundant and under-used buildings, and reusing scarce indigenous building materials. The officer assessed the proposal as aligning with this encouragement for reuse, outweighing the lack of specific policy allowance for residential ancillary conversion in countryside.
General Policy 2
Requires consideration of development control issues including impact on site and surroundings, landscape character, amenity, flooding, security, and energy consumption. The proposal was found acceptable with no demonstrable harm identified in these areas.
General Policy 3
Presumption against development outside allocated sites, with exceptions for previously developed land containing significant redundant buildings where redevelopment reduces landscape impact. The site qualified as previously developed land with a redundant building, but the officer noted it as a potential departure balanced by other material considerations.
Environment Policy 1
Protection of countryside and its ecology. No concerns identified that would justify refusal.
Environment Policy 2
Protection of landscape. Limited public visibility and sensitive conversion resulted in less impact than new build or status quo.
Environment Policy 7
Protection of watercourses. Relied on DEFA Fisheries comments confirming no objection with precautions.
Environment Policy 16
Conversion of rural buildings for non-residential uses like tourist or small-scale commercial, with residential conversions considered per section 8.10 and Housing Policy 11. Broad support noted for sensitive conversions, applied here to ancillary residential use.
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.
Approved plans
The development hereby approved shall be carried out in accordance with the details, finishes and colours as set out on the plan entitled Proposal Drawing (Drawing No. 20 1480 05) and retained as such thereafter. Reason: the proposed details and finishes are important to visually tie the proposal to the main house, and the application has been assessed on the basis of it sensitively reusing the existing building.
Ancillary use only
The development hereby approved may only be used for purposes incidental to the residential use of the main dwelling known as Ashtree Cottage and shall not be occupied as an independent dwelling. Reason: to ensure the development takes place in accordance with the approved details and to avoid any fragmentation of the curtilage.
No objection
Do not oppose
No objection, provided that there is no disturbance of the watercourse and precautions are taken to reduce the possibility of harmful materials entering the river
All three consultees (DOI Highways, Marown Parish Commissioners, and DEFA Inland Fisheries) raised no objections to the conversion of an outbuilding to living accommodation at Ashtree Cottage, with Fisheries requesting precautions near the watercourse.
Key concern: proposed works are in close proximity to the watercourse
DOI Highways Division
No ObjectionAfter reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network efficiency and /or parking.; Do not oppose
Marown Parish Commissioners
No ObjectionThe Commissioners have NO OBJECTION to the following applications: ... 21/01147 -Convert outbuiiding to Living Accommodation at Ashtree Cottage, Ballavitchel Road, Crosby
Inland Fisheries Policy Manager
Conditional No ObjectionAs the proposed works are in close proximity to the watercourse, precautions will be needed to reduce the possibility of harmful materials such as concrete or washings entering the river.; DEFA Fisheries have no objection to the proposed development, provided that there is no disturbance of the watercourse.
Conditions requested: precautions will be needed to reduce the possibility of harmful materials such as concrete or washings entering the river; no disturbance of the watercourse
