**Document:** Close Leece Farm Planning Statement
**Application:** 17/00322/B — Conversion of existing barn to provide a farm shop (Class 1) and cafe (Class 3) with associated kitchen, erection of an agricultural building, improvement works to existing farm tracks and creation of additional parking
**Decision:** Permitted
**Decision Date:** 2017-07-13
**Parish:** Patrick
**Document Type:** report / planning_statement
**Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/22889-st-johns-close-leece-farm-conversion-outbuilding/documents/1326391

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# Close Leece Farm Planning Statement

Tel: 08452879428.
Email: admin@closeleecefarm.com
Patrick Road, St John's, Isle of Man. IM4 3BR
Isle of Man registered company no: 124629C
VAT Registration: 003 2793 08

13) Reference to policies and objectives in the Strategic Plan.

Referring to the Isle of Man Strategic plan 2016 (https://www.gov.im/media/1350906/the-isle-of-
man-strategic-plan-2016-approved-plan-15_03_16.pdf), below we have quoted the relevant section
along some commentary on how we believe it applies to our project:

Most relevant sections:

Environment Policy 15 (Page 47):
Where the Department is satisfied that there is agricultural or horticultural need for a new
building (including a dwelling), sufficient to outweigh the general policy against development
in the countryside, and that the impact of this development including buildings, accesses,
servicing etc. is acceptable, such development must be sited as close as is practically
possible to existing building groups and be appropriate in terms of scale, materials, colour,
siting and form to ensure that all new developments are sympathetic to the landscape and
built environment of which they will form a part.

The new proposed barn is sited next to a building group which is part of the Department of
Infrastructure depot. These are industrial buildings and the proposed modern agricultural barn will
be of appropriate scale and materials to not look out of place next to them.

Only in exceptional circumstances will buildings be permitted in exposed or isolated areas or
close to public highways and in all such cases will be subject to appropriate landscaping. The
nature and materials of construction must also be appropriate to the purposes for which it is
intended.

The new proposed barn is not located in an exposed or isolated area or close to public highways. It is
however close to existing Department of Infrastructure depot buildings.

Where new agricultural buildings are proposed next to or close to existing residential
properties, care must be taken to ensure that there is no unacceptable adverse impact
through any activity, although it must be borne in mind that many farming activities require
buildings which are best sited, in landscape terms, close to existing building groups in the
rural landscape.

The new proposed barn is not close to any existing residential properties.

Therefore we believe our proposal complies with this policy.

Environment Policy 16 (Page 48):
The use of existing rural buildings for new purposes such as tourist, or small-scale
industrial/commercial use may be permitted where:
a) it is demonstrated that the building is no longer required for its original purpose and where
the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation;

Page 11

Tel: 08452879428.
Email: admin@closeleecefarm.com
Patrick Road, St John's, Isle of Man. IM4 3BR
Isle of Man registered company no: 124629C
VAT Registration: 003279308

The existing barn is largely redundant for agricultural purposes. The building is completely intact and structurally capable of renovation (see structural engineers report attached).

b) the reuse of the building will result in the preservation of fabric which is of historic, architectural, or social interest or is otherwise of visual attraction;

The existing barn is an attractive, old, Manx stone building, probably built in the 18th or 19th century. We believe it does have some historic, architectural and social interest. We think a traditional Manx agricultural building is the perfect location for a business that sells quality Manx food products.

c) it is demonstrated that the building could accommodate the new use without requiring extension or adverse change to appearance or character;

There should be no adverse change to the appearance of character of the existing barn. The only extension is the toilet block to the rear – however this is small, not very visible, and will be built using Manx stone to blend in with the rest of the barn. The Manx stone which will be used was reclaimed from the farm house that previously stood adjacent to the barn, so it is from the same source and age as the barn.

d) there would not be unacceptable implications in terms of traffic generation;

There should be no significant implications in terms of traffic generation.

e) conversion does not lead to dispersal of activity on such a scale as to prejudice the vitality and viability of existing town and village services; and

The new Farm shop / café will not be at a scale to significantly affect any existing services.

f) the use of existing buildings involves significant levels of redevelopment to accommodate the new use, the benefits secured by the proposal in terms of impact on the environment and the rural economy shall outweigh the continued impact of retaining the existing buildings on site.

The proposed use of the existing barn does not involve significant level of redevelopment, but will bring significant benefits to the economy.

Proposals to convert rural buildings to residential accommodation will be considered along with the advice given at Section 8.10 of this document.

The proposal does not involve residential accommodation. Therefore we believe our proposal complies with this policy.

Tel: 08452879428.
Email: admin@closeleecefarm.com
Patrick Road, St John's, Isle of Man. IM4 3BR
Isle of Man registered company no: 124629C
VAT Registration: 003 2793 08

Other relevant sections:

## Aim 2.3.6 Positive National Identity (Page 9):

Aim: To protect and develop the Island's national identity and ensure that its interests are vigorously promoted, recognised and defended internationally
Our proposal will assist with this aim because our farm shop will only sell and promote quality Manx produce, made by ourselves and other local producers. It will champion Manx products and hopefully be attractive to tourists because of this as well.

### Strategic Objective 3.4 Economy (Page 11):

a) To maintain and improve the viability, vitality and diversity of the economy by enabling improved employment opportunities.
b) To ensure that sufficient land and property in terms of location, size and type is available for employment purposes.
c) To safeguard and provide for the needs of existing and new location-dependent businesses.

Our proposal will help achieve this objective by creating several new jobs for the local community.

#### 4.2.1 Strategic Policy 1 (Page 14):

Development should make the best use of resources by:
a) optimising the use of previously developed land, redundant buildings, unused and under-used land and buildings, and re-using scarce indigenous building materials;
b) ensuring efficient use of sites, taking into account the needs for access, landscaping, open space and amenity standards; and
c) being located so as to utilise existing and planned infrastructure, activities and services.

Our proposal complies with this policy as it makes use of a redundant building, and makes use of currently unused land for the carpark area.

### Environment Policy 14 (Page 47):

Development which would result in the permanent loss of important and versatile agricultural land (Classes 1-2) will not be permitted except where there is an overriding need for the development, and land of a lower quality is not available and other policies in this plan are complied with.

The proposals do not involve the loss of any agricultural land:

- The proposed car park area is not currently classed as agricultural land and has no agricultural utility in any case.
- The footprint of the new barn will not be available for grazing - however it still be being used purely for agriculture - and having this barn will greatly increase the agricultural utility of all the nearby land.

Tel: 08452879428.
Email: admin@cloxeleecefarm.com
Patrick Road, St John's, Isle of Man. IM4 3BR
Isle of Man registered company no: 124629C
VAT Registration: 003 2793 08

Environment Policy 23 (Page 50):
When considering alterations and improvements to existing facilities the Department will
require that consideration be given to the potential adverse impact of the proposed changes
to existing neighbours.

There are no neighbours nearby to the existing barn (closest is over 100m away).
The only neighbour nearby to the new proposed barn would be the Close Leece Department of
Infrastructure depot, and it seems very unlikely that a new agricultural barn in a nearby field would
have any adverse impact on them.

Environment Policy 34 (Page 55):
In the maintenance, alteration or extension of pre-1920 buildings, the use of traditional
materials will be preferred.

We propose to use traditional materials for the minor extension of the barn - e.g. Manx stone for
the toilet extension. There will be very few changes to the barn as we want to keep it looking like a
traditional stone barn.

Business Policy 1 (Page 78):
The growth of employment opportunities throughout the Island will be encouraged provided
that development proposals accord with the policies of this Plan.

Our proposal helps towards this policy by creating new employment of several jobs.

Business Policy 5 (Page 82):
On land zoned for industrial use, permission will be given only for industrial development or
for storage and distribution; retailing will not be permitted except where either:
a) the items to be sold could not reasonably be sold from a town centre location
because of their size or nature; or
b) the items to be sold are produced on the site and their sale could not reasonably be
severed from the overall business; and, in respect of (a) or (b), where it can be
demonstrated that the sales would not detract from the vitality and viability of the
appropriate town centre shopping area.

Our proposal complies with this policy because we meet the criteria of exception b). The retail
component of our proposal is a Farm shop - a Farm shop cannot reasonably be severed from the
farm.

Business Policy 10 (Page 85):
Retail development will be permitted only in established town and village centres, with the
exceptions of neighbourhood shops in large residential areas and those instances identified in
Business Policy 5.

Our proposal complies with this policy because it is an exception identified in Business Policy 5 (as
explained above).

Tel: 08452879428.
Email: admin@closeleecefarm.com
Patrick Road, St John's, Isle of Man. IM4 3BR
Isle of Man registered company no: 124629C
VAT Registration: 003279308

Transport Policy 4 (Page 100):

The new and existing highways which serve any new development must be designed so as to be capable of accommodating the vehicle and pedestrian journeys generated by that development in a safe and appropriate manner, and in accordance with the environmental objectives of this plan.

The Patrick road is a major highway and should easily accommodate any additional vehicle traffic travelling to visit the Farm shop and café. The route from the highway to the car parking area will be via a short section of the existing property driveway - which can accommodate this traffic.

Transport Policy 7 (Page 101):

The Department will require that in all new development, parking provision must be in accordance with the Department's current standards. The car parking area in the proposal should provide adequate parking facilities for the Farm shop and café.

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*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/22889-st-johns-close-leece-farm-conversion-outbuilding/documents/1326391*