**Document:** Planning Statement
**Application:** 26/00214/B — Conversion of existing outbuilding to new dwelling and creation of new access road for Ballavarane Cottage.
**Decision:**
**Decision Date:**
**Parish:** Lonan
**Document Type:** report / planning_statement
**Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/130665-lonan-barn-ballavarane-farm-conversion-dwelling/documents/1591165

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# Planning Statement

## Planning and Design Statement

Project: Barn Conversion and New Driveway Entrance for Ballavane Cottage

Project no: J23093

Date: 05/02/26

## Introduction

This Planning Statement is submitted in support of a full Planning application to convert a disused stone-built barn at Ballavarane Farm, Lonan into a single residential dwelling plus the creation of the new access road for Ballavarane Cottage. The barn, which has not been used for agricultural purposes for decades, is structurally capable of conversion and forms part of a traditional Manx farmstead. This Statement demonstrates in detail how the development is in accordance with the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 warranting a positive Planning determination.

Ballavarane Farm holdings were left to the Ballannette Trust, a local wildlife charity established in 1995, dedicated to increasing the quality and availability of the island's natural environment for the enjoyment of the public. The charity has undertaken several projects in the Laxey and Lonan area to restore contaminated land in order to create wildlife preserves and is looking to develop the site in order to rent out the properties that have been left to them to ensure a continuous revenue stream, allowing them to maintain the lands they have already restored and to fund future restoration projects.

## The Site

The works form part of the historic Ballavarane Farm holdings, on the Ballamenagh Road, approximately 1.25 km south of the village of Baldrine. The site comprises a traditional farm complex set within a rural landscape of enclosed fields, mature tree belts, and dispersed development. The farmstead was originally arranged around a central yard, consisting of the farmhouse and two barns with hardstanding and open land forming part of the operational footprint. As farming has modernised the two traditionally built barns became redundant as their layouts and size was unsuitable for modern farming equipment and techniques. Last year the larger of the two barns was granted approval for conversion into 3 residential properties under 25/90388/B, leaving the small barn as the last remaining redundant building on the courtyard. On site, approximately 340m south of the main farmstead, is a traditional farmworkers cottage known as Ballavarane Cottage that has a shared access to Ballamenagh Road. The whole site is currently accessed via a single shared track and is visually contained by natural boundaries, which help separate it from nearby residential properties.

The existing small barn is of typical Manx farm architecture and holds local architectural and historic interest as part of the Island's built heritage. It is believed to date back to the mid-19th century, but it is unknown as to the exact date of construction. Unfortunately, as the barn is unsuitable for modern farming needs it has been disused for decades falling into disrepair. Due to disuse, the small barn had degraded to a very poor structural state, but the structural assessment of the building undertaken by Axis Consulting Engineers confirmed that the structure was in a salvageable condition and as such The Ballannette Trust have begun some essential repairs to prevent further degradation of the building.

Prior to the repairs to the building both bat and bird surveys were undertaken, and no evidence was found of current use by either. Further details of this are on the enclosed reports.

The nearest property not part of the farmstead is Criot Ny Cabbyl which is situated across the valley and approximately 0.3km to the southwest.

## The Proposal

The application proposes the conversion of the disused barn into permanent residential dwelling. The development will create a modern, wheelchair friendly, two-bedroom bungalow with a decked area level with the internal floor to allow for disabled use and small private garden to the rear. The conversion works will be undertaken within the footprint of the existing structure with the design approach prioritising retaining the external appearance where possible, restoring the original stonework with a lime mortar and picking out external changes using block and render to emphasise the original features and character of the building rather than trying to hide them.

The building conversion will create a modern, highly insulated habitable space, designed around disabled access and utilisation including, a new access ramp, extra wide doors into all rooms, additional space within the bathroom for ease of wheelchair movement including a level shower, a variable height sink and cooker with wheelchair access within the kitchen, among other access design features. The decked area in particular is to allow for wheelchair access to a private outdoor space with the glass handrails allowing scenic views of the countryside and sea. This area will also allow for simple additional amenities such as cloths external drying from a level platform.

The property will have full access and use of the large communal garden opposite, that are being created from the former farmyard area as part of the 25/90388/B Planning approval and will give a pleasant outlook to the front of the property.

In keeping with the modern environmental home, the property will have heating and hot water provided by an Air-Source Heat Pump (ASHP) and will have 900W of solar panels fixed to the face of the rear (West) of the building facing the agricultural field in order to retain the traditional aspect of the property visible from the adjacent dwellings as much as was possible. The property will be supplemented via a battery system with charging from the solar panels and off-peak electricity with drawdown during on-peak times, lowering the demand on the electricity grid and the running costs for the dwelling. Both the heat pump and battery system will be sized by a specialist at SCS during the Building Control stage of the project, but it is expected to be in the region of 8kW ASHP and 15kWh of battery storage.

The building will retain its traditional Manx stone character, with existing stonework cleaned and repointed in a lime mortar. All external doors are to be finished in brown uPVC, while windows will be brown uPVC casement units. The roof will be finished in natural slate with black uPVC facia and guttering.

To encourage biodiversity, and to offset any loss of possible nesting sites within the disused building several bird and bat boxes will be fitted in the trees of the garden with numbers and locations to be specified by the relevant specialist consultants.

Foul drainage will be managed by connecting to the existing communal treatment plant in the proposed garden area whilst the surface water will either be managed via permeable surfaces or connecting to the existing swale soakaway system.

Adjacent to the existing barn is a gravel hardstanding area which is to be allocated as parking plus a bin and bike storage area for the property. There is sufficient space for 4 cars ensuring that there is both residential and guest parking on site. The surface is to be paved to match the paving approved for the adjacent road to the new barn cottages opposite. The lane has sufficient width to allow for all 4 vehicles to independently reverse into the spaces and drive out with unobstructed visibility.

To the rear (west) of the building, a small garden has been allocated from the adjacent field and will be separated from the field with a stock-proof fence. The garden area has been sized to protect the existing drainage pipes and sewage equipment coming from Ballavarane Farmhouse and Ballavarane Barn Cottages so that no future farm equipment utilising the field might accidentally damage the pipes. The area of land that would be removed from agricultural purposes would be 0.2ac of which one quarter of this area is currently a crop of low-density trees, unusable for agricultural purposes and which will remain to encourage biodiversity.

The existing access to Ballavarane Cottage is via the communal access lane used for both domestic and agricultural purposes. The development will separate these two uses into independent area by creating a new access lane for Ballavarane Cottage by changing the existing field access lane, running at the bottom of fields 613153 and 614829 into an exclusive use for Ballavarane Cottage as a new driveway with a new entrance onto Ballamenagh Road and replacing the field access lane with a new access off the existing lane. The new driveway is predominantly 3m wide but already expands to over 5.4m wide in areas which would allow for passing places in the event of vehicles meeting. The existing lane would then be split into separate residential and farm use areas, blocked off from one another.

The new entrance will require the removal of two mature Sycamore trees. The two trees in question can be seen in photographs below and are the two directly adjacent to the bridge. With the closest to the bridge being a very poor specimen, leaning heavily into the road. No other trees will be affected by the works as they are outside the visibility splay.

The new entrance will have a concrete surface running to a channel drain, emptying into the river, to ensure there is no runoff from the new entrance onto Ballamenagh road. The spoil crated during the works will be used to block off the existing field openings and covered in turf to create a new sod hedge which will further allow for increased biodiversity on site.

### Relevant Strategic Plan Policies

The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 provides the overarching Planning policy framework for the Island, setting out strategic policies on development, housing, the environment, and infrastructure. The following policies are considered to be the most relevant:

1. General Policy 2 - General Development Considerations.
2. General Policy 3 - Exceptions to development in the countryside.
3. Environment Policy 1 - Protection of the countryside and inherent ecology.
4. Environment Policy 2 - Protection of Areas of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance.
5. Environment Policy 4 - Protects biodiversity (including protected species and designated sites).
6. Environment Policy 5 - Mitigation against damage to or loss of habitats.
7. Environment Policy 14 - Seeks to prevent the permanent loss of important and versatile agricultural land (Classes 1-2).
8. Housing Policy 4 - New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions of these towns and villages. Refers to exceptional circumstances where new housing will be permitted in the countryside.
9. Housing Policy 11 - Guides the conversion of existing rural buildings into dwellings.
10. Strategic Policy 1 - Efficient use of land and resources.
11. Strategic Policy 2 - Priority for new development to identified towns and villages.

Page 6 of 9

12. Strategic Policy 4 - development proposals must protect or enhance the nature conservation and landscape quality of urban as well as rural areas.
13. Strategic Policy 5 - Design and visual impact.
14. Transport Policy 7 - Parking considerations/standards for development.
15. Energy Policy 4 - Development involving alternative sources of energy will be judged against the environmental objectives and policies set out in this Plan. Installations involving wind, water and tide power will require the submissions of an Environmental Impact Assessment.
16. Paragraph 12.2.8: "The Department is fully supportive of the need to secure greater energy efficiency in new and existing development and has recently introduced additional energy efficiency requirements in the Building Regulations 2003. Energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources are covered in General Policy 2(m) of the Building Regulations. At the same time the Department recognizes that renewable energy sources can have adverse environmental impacts. The idea of a wind turbine Installation is currently being investigated and considered by the Manx Electricity Authority. Any feasible site is likely to be exposed and have considerable visual impact..."
17. Paragraph 12.2.10: "In addition to alternative sources of energy supply, the Strategic Objectives in Chapter 3 refer to the promotion of efficiency and economy in the use of resources and the reduction of energy consumption by more efficient use of energy through energy conservation, recycling and waste reduction. There are numerous ways of increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption both in the design and construction of new development and its subsequent operation, management and maintenance. The Building Regulations set standards for energy efficiency in new construction including, walls, windows, roofs and heating appliances. But the design and layout of new development can in themselves reduce energy consumption through for example Passive Solar Estate Layouts. Added to this are the various solar panel, photovoltaic cell, solar energy and heat pump technologies."

The barn lies within the open countryside as defined by the Local Area Plan and is not zoned for development however in such locations, Housing Policy 4(b) does allow the conversion of redundant rural buildings and Strategic Policy 1 & 2, Housing Policy 11 and General Policy 3 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 provide the relevant policy framework, permitting the conversion of existing rural buildings where specific criteria are met, and these are listed below.

- The small barn is no longer in nor of agricultural use and has been vacant for decades. The building is now unsuitable for modern farming operations so functionally redundant which has led to the dilapidated condition thereby satisfying the redundancy requirement under HP11(a)
- A Structural Inspection Report prepared by Axis Consulting Engineers (September 2024) confirms that the building is substantially intact and structurally capable of renovation, with the stone walls found to be generally sound. While localised defects such as roof spread, cracking, and timber deterioration were noted, these are typical of traditional barns and have been addressed through targeted repairs, re-roofing, and structural reinforcement. The report concludes that the building is suitable for conversion without requiring wholesale reconstruction, thereby meeting the requirements of HP11(b).
- The barn is of clear architectural and historic interest and will retain its original Manx stonework and utilitarian form as much as was practically possible. Its contribution to the historic character of the Ballavarane farmstead is evident, and its retention would support the Strategic Plan's objective of conserving the Island's built heritage, in line with HP11(c) and paragraph 8.10.2.
- At  the building is more than sufficient to accommodate the two-bedroom dwelling without the need for an extension, and the window and door editions are not so onerous as to adversely affect the character of the building, in line with HP11(d).

- The site is surrounded by open farmland and a small number of dispersed dwellings. The proposed residential use is compatible with the surrounding land uses and would not give rise to any land use conflicts, in line with HP11(e) and services can be provided without any public expenditure, in line with HP11(f).

As the proposal meets the criteria of Housing Policy 11 for the exception of converting an existing rural building then it represents an appropriate exception to the general presumption against new development in the countryside under General Policy 3.

The inclusion of the ASHP, battery system and solar panels on the western external wall are in line with General Policy 2(m) and Energy Policy 4, which encourage energy-saving measures and integration of renewable energy technologies in new developments. It also reflects the objectives set out in Paragraphs 12.2.8 and 12.2.10 of the Strategic Plan, which promote energy conservation and the use of solar technologies to reduce reliance on non-renewable sources. Whilst the siting of the panels on a building of historic character is never going to be ideal, it was felt that limiting the property to 2 panels struck the best compromise as to not conflict with Strategic Policy 5 on design quality.

Whilst the newly created garden would be a conversion of a small quantity of agricultural land into a residential garden it is felt that as no extension to the building is taking place within the area, the garden boundary to the field is to be in keeping with the rural area, and the garden size has been set to minimise the encroachment on to the agriculturally usable land whilst protecting the existing housing infrastructure, then this would be acceptable under Environmental Policy 1, 2 & 14 and Strategic Policy 4(b), which seek to protect or enhance the landscape quality of rural areas.

The reuse of the existing hard standing for both resident and guest parking ensures that Transport Policy 7 is complied with.

Whilst the site is not subject to any statutory or non-statutory ecological designations, the client has undertaken both a bat survey and an ecological survey of the site and surrounding area and provided mitigation for any potential loss of nesting habitat caused by the development in compliance with Environmental Policy 4 & 5 and General Policy 2.

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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/130665-lonan-barn-ballavarane-farm-conversion-dwelling/documents/1591165*