6 April 2022 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Abigail Morgan)
Billown Quarry Office, Foxdale Road, Ballasalla, Isle Of Man, IM9 3dw
Colas (IOM) Ltd applied to replace existing single-storey office cabins at Billown Quarry with a new larger single-storey flat-roof building featuring goosewing grey cladding, creating 272 sqm of floorspace and reconfiguring parking. The site is an active quarry west of Foxdale Road, partially screened by landscaping.
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The proposal is directly related to an active quarry and complies with Strategic Plan General Policy 3(e), allowing minerals-related development in the countryside.
General Policy 3
Allows minerals development in the countryside. Officer assessed the proposal as directly related to active quarry operations, with DEFA Minerals confirming importance to supply, making principle acceptable subject to condition tying use to quarrying.
Environment Policy 1
No development adversely affecting countryside unless overriding national need. Quarry's economic role in mineral supply provided overriding need, outweighing tree loss with compensatory measures.
Environment Policy 3
Protects existing woodland. Tree loss accepted as outweighed by quarry benefits, but conditioned compensatory planting of at least 2 heavy standards to mitigate.
Environment Policy 4
Biodiversity protection. Loss of nesting habitat compensated by starling nest boxes on building.
Minerals Policy 1
Permits minerals working where no unacceptable adverse effects on amenity, landscape, ecology etc., with national need exceptionally overriding constraints. Officer noted limited relevance as not direct quarrying, but no unacceptable impacts found; EIA not required.
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.
Temporary use tied to quarrying
The development hereby approved shall only be used in conjunction with the wider quarrying and (if necessary) restoration of the site. The development shall be removed from the site within 6 months of the cessation of these activities. Reason: the development is approved as an exception to the normal presumption against development in the countryside as it relates to quarrying.
Tree protection scheme
Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved a tree protection scheme shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. Tree protection measures shall be shown on a layout plan accompanied by descriptive text which includes, but is not limited to, details of; a) The location of the trees to be retained and their canopy spreads; b) The location of a 'construction exclusion zone'; c) The position of protective fencing and/or other protective measures required to prevent damage to retained trees; d) An appropriate specification for the protective measures proposed. The development must be carried out in accordance with the approved details. No alterations or variations to the approved tree protection scheme or working methods shall be made without prior written consent of the Department.
Tree planting specification
No site clearance, preparatory work or development shall take place until a tree planting specification is submitted to and agreed in writing by the Department, which includes at least 2 heavy standards. Where applicable the tree planting specification shall adhere to the recommendations of BS8545:2014 (Trees: from nursery to independence in the landscape - recommendations) and in all cases shall include details of all trees to be planted, including a) their quantity, location (or density), species and size at date of planting; b) the approximate date when they are to be planted; and c) how they will be maintained until successfully established. The tree planting shall take place as agreed and any trees which, within a period of 5 years from their first planting, are removed, or, in the opinion of the Department, become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the Department gives written consent to any variation.
Nest boxes for starlings
Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved details of nest boxes which are designed and sited so as to be suitable for starlings shall be provided. The nest boxes shall be provided in accordance with the approved details prior to the use of the building hereby approved, and retained as such thereafter. Reason: To compensate for the loss of nesting bird habitat.
Do not oppose
No objections
Investment supports long-term extraction; output important for mineral supply balance
DEFA Arboricultural Officer objects due to tree removal without mitigation and lack of Tree Protection Plan; Ecosystem Policy Team agrees and requests additional measures; Highways and Malew Parish have no objections; Environmental Health comments on minerals but no planning objection.
Key concern: removal of a category B sycamore tree regarded as a material constraint to development
Senior Arboricultural Officer, Agriculture and Lands Directorate, DEFA
Objectionthe Directorate objects to this application on the grounds that: 1) There is no mitigation proposed for the removal of 1 category C group (10 trees) and 1 category C individual (11 trees in total) 2) The development proposed includes the removal of a category B sycamore tree 3) The application does not include a Tree Protection Plan; a category B sycamore tree, which the Directorate believes should be regarded as a material constraint to development
Conditions requested: Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved a tree protection scheme shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. Tree protection measures shall be shown on a layout plan accompanied by descriptive text which includes, but is not limited to, details of; a) The location of the trees to be retained and their canopy spreads; b) The location of a ‘construction exclusion zone’; c) The position of protective fencing and/or other protective measures required to prevent damage to retained trees; d) An appropriate specification for the protective measures proposed. The development must be carried out in accordance with the approved details. No alterations or variations to the approved tree protection scheme or working methods shall be made without prior written consent of the Department.; OR, if a Tree Protection Plan is provided prior to determination; Prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, the protection measures detailed in [insert title and date], submitted in support of the application [insert date], shall be fully installed and implemented and retained for the duration of the construction process, unless stated otherwise.
Ecosystem Policy Manager, DEFA
Conditional No ObjectionThe Ecosystem Policy Team agree with the comments made by the Senior Arboricultural Officer. We do not believe that adequate consideration has currently been given to the removal of the trees, especially the category B sycamore.
Conditions requested: a tree protection plan and landscaping plan containing details of replacement native or other well established tree planting should submitted to Planning prior to determination; nest boxes suitable for starling, with a 45mm diameter entrance hole, installed on the new offices; Plans showing the type of nest boxes and their location on the buildings (eastern or western elevation), should be provided to Planning for written approval prior to determination or secured as a condition
Environmental Health, DEFA
No CommentFrom a minerals supply perspective, given the uncertainty that Colas had over the extension and continued quarrying at Billown, until recently, when they finally entered into a new mining lease, I view their investment in new buildings as assurance that they do plan long term mineral extraction there.
Malew Parish Commissioners
No ObjectionMalew Parish Commissioners have no objections to the following planning applications. 22/00138/B Erection of replacement office accommodation cabins Billown Quarry Foxdale Road
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No ObjectionDo not oppose; Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking
