**Document:** Landscape Works Planning Statement **Application:** 20/00075/B — Landscaping works to part of field number 320424 (amendment to PA 19/01017/B) (retrospective) **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2020-04-02 **Parish:** Marown **Document Type:** report / planning_statement **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/12615-west-baldwin-house/documents/1309513 --- # Landscape Works Planning Statement 1826.02 NEW GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE WORKS (Amendment to PA 19/01017/B) SUNNYBANK HOUSE, WEST BALDWIN BRADDAN for DOWNSTREAM LIMITED 2070075 BRIEF PLANNING STATEMENT This application is an amendment to 19/01017/B and seeks to also address the requirements of Condition 2 for a fence to separate the landscaped field from the residential property. The Application is to seek approval for the proposed landscape works and the realignment of the red line to allow for a fence and gates to separate the landscape works, along the edge of the gravel lane. Sunnybank House is owned by Downstream Limited, which is controlled by Ms Jessup and Mr Holloway ("the Holloways"). Sunnybank House was purchased directly from the developer in December 2010. At this time the garden area had not yet been finalised by the developer and was left as a rough and uneven patch of land, as opposed to a lawn. Sunnybank House was used from December 2010 to March 2017 as the Holloways residence on the Isle of Man ("IoM"), although for periods of that time they lived in London. From March 2017 onwards Ms Jessup moved back to the IoM on a permanent basis and from April 2018 Mr Holloway moved back to the IoM on a permanent basis. The Holloways now use Sunnybank House as their family home and intend to for the foreseeable future. By April 2018 Ms Jessup was pregnant (and has subsequently had a baby girl) and bearing in mind the condition the developer had left the garden in, the Holloways decided that they should take steps to repair the area. The Holloways received advice from another consultant, who had met informally with the department, and received the oral advice that works to the garden areas where within the residential curtilage and as such, the landscape works would not require planning approval. The idea was to create: - a level garden area on which the Holloways baby girl could in the future play safely without risk of inadvertently falling onto/accessing the West Baldwin Road or injury given the condition the garden was left in by the previous owner/developer; - bio-diversity through the planting native species of wildflowers, shrubs and trees, as opposed to grass (please see the Planting Method Statement in Appendix 1); and - a space that it is respectful of the locality, in terms of topography, planting and visual impact. 1826-02 landscape works planning statement Jan 2020 Having undertaken some initial work, and the landscape contractor (Quest Limited) were of the view that the existing topsoil on the garden area was not of a suitable depth for planting or lawn. It is thought that this area of the property was stripped of topsoil (and indeed other soil) during the works for the fill to the area where the barn was constructed (Please see Photograph 1 an aerial image taken during the construction works on the house which shows the area of site strip extending through this garden area). Therefore, topsoil had to be imported to support the seeding of the new lawn area and new belt of understorey planting. The fill to the level lawn area is sloped downwards at the planted belt edge. To make the lawn area more level there has been a small amount of cutting into the existing slope to create a new embankment feature, giving the lawn a visual backdrop on its top edge with the planted understorey belt giving the lawn a backdrop to the bottom of the site. Please see Photographs 2 to 5 for the extent of incomplete works to date. There has never been a fence separating the house from the field which the Holloways wish to landscape. They have always had unfettered vehicle access between the stables building and the house and driveway, since they purchased the house in 2010. The gravel lane is required for vehicle access between the house, driveway and stables. The gravel lane has been in existence since the previous owner built the house and stables together. See the Google Earth aerial view in Photograph 1 below showing the construction of the house, driveway and stables; and the route of the gravel lane can be seen then. The gravel lane is in the same location as today. Under application 19/01017/B it was never the intention for the red line to become a defining boundary between the landscape works and the house. If the fence is erected as suggested along the red line in 19/01017/B it will be within the gravel lane blocking vehicle access to and from the stables. The Holloways considered having gates in the fenceline but this would require relocation of the gravel lane to avoid the fence line and would mean that every time the Holloways drive up to the stables, or their tenant farmer drives to his field, they would have to open and close two gates there and back. All of which would be a huge inconvenience. Mr and Mrs Holloway suggest a fenceline along the edge of the gravel lane that retains vehicle access, as shown on this Application drawing. This way there is clear demarcation between the landscaped field and the rest of the house, and vehicle access is retained between the house and stables. The Applicants believe they are increasing the biodiversity of their land, whilst creating a space that it is respectful of the locality, in terms of topography, planting and visual impact. The Holloways also believe the realignment of the red line allows the erection of a fenceline and gates that will address the requirements of Condition 2 of 19/01017/B and which will allow the lane to continue to be used by vehicles to access the stable block from the house. Therefore, the Applicants respectfully request that planning approval is granted. 1826-02 landscape works planning statement Jan 2020 Photograph 1: aerial view of site during construction works Photograph 2: from garage looking to end of landscape works site ![Grainy black and white aerial photograph showing a rural site with buildings, trees, and open ground areas.](https://images.planningportal.im/2020/01/143999.jpg) ![A black and white photograph depicting a rural field boundary with a dense hedge on the left and a ploughed field extending to the right.](https://images.planningportal.im/2020/01/144000.jpg) Photograph 3: towards end with small bank feature on right ![A black and white photograph showing a grassy slope with earth-moving machinery in the background, likely depicting landscaping or earthworks.](https://images.planningportal.im/2020/01/144002.jpg) Photograph 4: looking back towards barn ![A grainy black and white photograph showing a grassy field slope with trees silhouetted against the sky.](https://images.planningportal.im/2020/01/144001.jpg) Photograph 5: looking back towards main house and garage 1826-02 landscape works planning statement Jan 2020 ![A black and white photograph showing a detached house and garage with a car parked outside, featuring rough, disturbed ground in the foreground consistent with landscaping works.](https://images.planningportal.im/2020/01/144003.jpg) --- *Data sourced from the Isle of Man public planning register under the [Isle of Man Open Government Licence](https://www.gov.im/about-this-site/open-government-licence/).* *Canonical page: https://planningportal.im/a/12615-west-baldwin-house/documents/1309513*