13 February 2008 · Delegated - Senior Planning Officer (Mrs F Mullen)
Agricultural Building, Moaney Woods Farm, Lonan Church Road, Laxey, Isle Of Man, IM4 7jx
The proposal was for a new portal steel framed agricultural building (30ft x 40ft) for storing machinery, hay, feed, and housing sheep during lambing at an existing farm on unzoned 'white land' in an area of High Landscape or Coastal Value.
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The site is on 'white land' in a High Landscape Value area, so General Policy 3 and Environment Policy 2 required the building to be 'essential for the conduct of agriculture' and not harm landscape c…
General Policy 3
Permits agricultural buildings essential for agriculture on white land outside zoned areas. Officer assessed need via DAFF input and applicant details on flock expansion/stock welfare; tipped balance despite small scale as practical benefits demonstrated and vehicles agricultural.
Environment Policy 2
Protects High Landscape Value areas unless development does not harm character or location essential. Siting adjacent existing buildings with substantial eastern banking/trees/hedging ensured no harm; officer confirmed acceptable after site visits.
Time limit
The development hereby permitted shall commence before the expiration of four years from the date of this notice.
Approved plans
This approval relates to the submitted documents and drawing 07 0252 01 all received on 7th September 2007.
Materials approval
Prior to the commencement of any works, there must be submitted to and approved by the Planning Authority, samples of the external finishes of the building.
Agricultural use only
The building must only be used for agricultural purposes.
Vehicles agricultural only
Any vehicles stored within the building must be used in connection with agricultural.
Do not oppose
DAFF Agricultural Advisor notes limited agricultural benefits but does not explicitly object; Lonan Parish Commissioners recommend refusal due to insufficient agricultural activity; Highways Division does not oppose.
Key concern: little or no agricultural activity and no justification for new building
DAFF Agricultural Advisor
No Commentthe erection of a new agricultural building would have some practical agricultural benefits, though the Department would not view this enterprise as an agricultural business.; Currently the business has a labour requirement of 0.14 standard labour units; There is little or no agricultural activity at this property and there are sufficient buildings on the site
Lonan Parish Commissioners
Objectionrecommend refusal of the above Planning Application.; There is little or no agricultural activity at this property and there are sufficient buildings on the site that would accommodate the services and provisions required by the proposed building. Hence there is no justification for this application.
Highways Division
No ObjectionThe Highways Division of the Department of Transport has no views on this application.; Do not oppose
The original application for erection of an agricultural barn was refused due to lack of demonstrated agricultural need under Environment Policy 15 and General Policy 3. The appellant argued the building was essential for storage, lambing, and tractor protection on their part-time smallholding, providing financial evidence of losses without it and potential profits with expansion. The Council defended the refusal citing no evidence of agricultural necessity or submitted agricultural returns. The inspector found an agricultural need demonstrated through numerical evidence elicited at inquiry, acceptable visual impact, and utility for small-scale farming acknowledged in the Strategic Plan. The Minister accepted the inspector's recommendation, reversing the refusal and granting approval with conditions requiring agricultural use only.
Precedent Value
This appeal sets precedent that part-time smallholdings can justify agricultural buildings via detailed financial evidence of need, even without formal appraisals, but future applications should include expert agricultural evaluations as recommended by Minister and inspector.
Inspector: David Ward
