20 March 2007 · Planning Committee
Part Of Field 425058, Corlea Road, Ronague, Castletown, Isle Of Man, IM9 4hq
The proposal sought approval in principle for a single storey farmworkers dwelling on a field at the junction of Corlea Road (B39) and Ronague Road (A27), part of Ballaquinney Farm holding. The site is on white land (not designated for development) in the countryside, remote from the main farm buildings due to access i…
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The Planning Committee rejected the officer's recommendation to permit, determining that the siting did not comply with paragraph 3 of Planning Circular 3/88, which requires farmworkers dwellings to b…
Planning Circular 3/88 - New Agricultural Dwellings
Paragraph 3 requires farmworkers dwellings to be sited within or immediately adjoining the main group of farm buildings, approached via existing farm access, and well set back from public highways. The Committee found the proposal breached this as the site was detached from the farm group due to access constraints, leading to visual impact and severance risk despite officer and DAFF support for need and functional location.
No objection
Do not oppose subject to conditions on parking, turning, sight lines
Strongly support based on labour needs (2.86 full-time equivalents); location suitable for access to grazing land
No objection; applicant to contact for single connection
IoM Water Authority requests standard water connection condition; DAFF Agricultural Services strongly supports with agricultural tie; Arbory Parish Commissioners have no comments; Highways Division has no objection subject to access, parking, turning, and sight lines conditions; public representations object due to lack of supporting information.
Key concern: located on a single track local access road
IoM Water Authority
Conditional No ObjectionFor single connections to a water main (i.e. a single dwelling) the applicant should contact loMWA Customer Services, tel. 69 59 49
Conditions requested: a condition of planning be that the applicant must contact the Authority to ensure that a connection is obtained for water supply purposes, or an amendment to the existing supply under the terms of the Water Supply Byelaws
DAFF Agricultural Services
SupportI strongly support the application for a farm workers dwelling on the farm, subject to the application of an agricultural tie; There is a clear requirement for a second full time worker; the unit would involve 5,715 standard man hours, the equivalent of 2.86 full time workers
Conditions requested: application of an agricultural tie based on full time employment or recent retirement from full time employment in agriculture
Arbory Parish Commissioners
No Commentmy Commissioners have considered the above application and have no comments to make
Department of Transport, Highways Division
Conditional No ObjectionDo not oppose subject to the imposition of the following conditions
Conditions requested: Parking shall comply with Manx Roads 1; An on site turning facility shall be provided to permit vehicles to egress the site in forward gear; Sight lines of 2 metres by 23 metres shall be provided; A reserved matters application shall be submitted to address matters of access, parking and turning requirements
The original application for approval in principle to erect a farm worker's dwelling was refused by the Planning Committee on 20 March 2006 for siting contrary to paragraph 3 of Planning Circular 3/88, creating undesirable visual impact and risk of severance from the parent farm. The appellant argued for a functional need due to labour requirements on 160+ acres, better access to northern grazing lands, and access issues over third-party routes to the main farm buildings. The inspector accepted the agricultural need, supported by the Director of Agricultural Services, but found the siting did not meet policy criteria for being within or adjoining the main farm buildings or using existing farm access, with only marginal benefits outweighing policy. Visual impact concerns were noted as adding to scattered development in countryside. The appeal was dismissed on 4 June 2007, with the Minister concurring.
Precedent Value
This appeal reinforces strict adherence to Circular 3/88 siting criteria for farm dwellings even with proven need; future applicants must demonstrate exceptional justification beyond access convenience or minor operational gains to site remotely from main farmstead.
Inspector: Michael Hurley
