31 May 2023 · Planning Committee
Ballaoates Farm, Ballavagher Road, St Johns, Isle Of Man, IM4 3je
The site at Ballaoates Farm on Ballavagher Road consists of an early-mid 19th-century Manx stone farmhouse with extensions and attached outbuildings, part of a wider agricultural holding in open countryside within an Area of High Landscape Value.
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The officer assessed that the existing farmhouse, while of architectural and historic interest, is structurally defective and beyond reasonable renovation due to issues like leaking asbestos roof, spl…
Spatial Policy 5
Restricts countryside development to exceptions in General Policy 3. Replacement dwellings permitted if not abandoned and not feasibly renovatable if of historic interest; officer found HP12 exceptions not triggered.
General Policy 2
Requires high design quality, no amenity/highway harm. Proposal's design respects character, no neighbour/highway impact, providing high living standards.
General Policy 3
Exceptions to countryside development include rural dwelling replacements. Accepted here due to structural defects precluding renovation.
Housing Policy 12
Permits countryside replacements unless abandoned or historic/renovatable. Building not abandoned (occupied 2019); renovation infeasible per evidence/officer inspection despite heritage concerns.
Housing Policy 14
Siting/size/design of countryside replacements; must follow Circular 3/91. Amended plans align with vernacular, similar scale/footprint, acceptable materials.
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside unless overriding need. Replacement justified by building condition; no adverse landscape harm.
Environment Policy 2
AHLV protection paramount unless no harm. Site isolated/screened; design mirrors existing, no character harm.
Transport Policy 4
Highway safety; no Highways objection, existing access, ample parking.
Transport Policy 7
Parking provision; exceeds standards on-site.
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.
No extensions/alterations
Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Permitted Development) Order 2012 (or any Order revoking and/or re-enacting that Order with or without modification) no extension, enlargement or other alteration of the dwelling(s) hereby approved, other than that expressly authorised by this approval, shall be carried out, without the prior written approval of the Department. Reason: To control development in the interests of the amenities of the surrounding area.
Materials approval
No development shall commence until a schedule of materials and finishes and samples of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces, including all hardsurfacing within the site, have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. The development shall not be carried out unless in accordance with the approved details. Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.
Landscaping scheme
No development shall be commenced until a hard and soft landscaping scheme has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Department. Such a scheme shall include details of all walls, fences, trees, hedgerows and other planting which are to be retained; details of all new walls, fences and other boundary treatment and finished ground levels; a planting specification to include the location of grassed areas details of the hard surface treatment of the open parts of the site and a programme of implementation. All works shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details. The works shall be carried out prior to the occupation of any part of the development or in accordance with the programme agreed in writing with the Department. Any trees or plants indicated on the approved scheme which, within a period of five years from the date of planting, die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced during the next planting season with other trees or plants of a species and size to be first approved in writing by the Department. Reason: To ensure the provision of an appropriate landscape setting to the development.
Historic building recording
Development shall not commence until a programme of historic building recording of the buildings affected by the development has been undertaken and submitted to and agreed in writing by the Department. The programme of building recording must be undertaken in accordance with Level Two as set out in Understanding Historic Buildings: A guide to good recording practice. Reason: To ensure and safeguard the recording and inspection of matters of archaeological/historical importance associated with the building/site that will be lost in the course of works.
No objection, maintained to amended plans
No significant negative impact on highway safety, network or parking; advise cycle parking/EV charging
No objection; trees of concern removed under TPA
Accept bat survey; no evidence of bats; proceed with avoidance/mitigation; vigilance during works; condition for updated survey if needed
Heritage consultees objected to demolition of traditional farmhouse and outbuildings due to historic and architectural interest; ecology initially requested bat survey condition but later confirmed acceptable; highways, forestry, and parish had no objections.
Key concern: demolition of traditional farm buildings of historic and architectural interest
Registered Buildings Officer
ObjectionRecommendation: Refuse; I therefore consider that the applicant has failed to address the issues outlined in HP 12, 14 and General Policy 3 and recommend the application is refused.; the farmyard complex including the house is of historic and architectural interest and therefore should be the subject of HP12 and HP11.
Conditions requested: proposed gable feels unfinished and poorly detailed and should be refined
Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society
Objectionregret the proposed loss of yet another traditional, possibly Quarterland, farm steading; objects to the application; views remain unchanged
Conditions requested: if design approved, front and side elevations visible from roadside finished in natural stone and if painted returned to traditional white finish
Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society
Objectiontheir views remain unchanged.
DEFA Ecosystem Policy Officer
Conditional No Objectionrequest that a condition is secured for no works, including demolition, to take place until a preliminary assessment for bats has been undertaken
Conditions requested: no works including demolition until preliminary bat assessment by qualified ecological consultant and report with avoidance/mitigation/compensation measures submitted and approved; if bats or evidence found, additional surveys including emergence surveys required
DEFA Ecosystem Policy Officer
No Objectionbat report dated 28th March 2023 is all in order; no evidence of bats within the buildings; should bats or evidence of bats be found at any point, works must stop and advice be sought
Highway Services Division
No Objectionno significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking; Applicant is advised to consider the installing cycle parking and an electric vehicle charging point
Highway Services Division
No Objectionno significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking; Applicant is advised to consider installing enclosed and secure storage space for cycle parking and an electric vehicle charging point
DEFA Forestry
No ObjectionWe have no objection to this application. The trees of concern in the last application at this address have been removed under the TPA
German Parish Commissioners
No ObjectionMy Commissioners have no objection
German Parish Commissioners
No ObjectionMy Commissioners have no objections
