**Document:** DEC Officer Report **Application:** 21/00453/B — Erection of extension to existing stable and creation of menage area **Decision:** Permitted **Decision Date:** 2021-08-11 **Parish:** Marown **Document Type:** report / officer_report **Source:** https://planningportal.im/a/7466-marown-marnoch-ballanicholas-garth-extension/documents/932191 --- # DEC Officer Report **Application No.:** 21/00453/B **Applicant:** Miss Elizabeth Priest **Proposal:** Erection of extension to existing stable and creation of menage area **Site Address:** Marnoch Ballanicholas Garth Crosby Isle Of Man IM4 2HD **Planning Officer:** Miss Lucy Kinrade **Recommended Decision:** Permitted **Date of Recommendation:** 04.08.2021 _________________________________________________________________ ## Conditions and Notes for Approval C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions - C 1. 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. - C 2. In the event that an arena or stable hereby approved is no longer used or required for equestrian purposes that arena or stable shall be removed and the ground restored to its former condition, within 12 months of the date the use ceased. Reason: The arenas have been approved solely to meet the specific use based on the information provided, and the subsequent retention would result in an unwarranted intrusion in the countryside. - C 3. The stable extension hereby approved must be used only for equestrian purposes in association with the residential dwelling 'Marnoch' Ballanicholas, Garth, and not for any commercial use. Reason: The application has been assessed on a personal use basis only as set out in the application. - C 4. The arenas hereby approved must be used only for equestrian purposes in association with the residential dwelling 'Marnoch' Ballanicholas, Garth, and not for any commercial use. - Reason: The application has been assessed on a personal use basis only as set out in the application. - C 5. For the avoidance of doubt no approval is hereby given for any external lighting to be installed to the ménage. Reason: In the interest of visual amenities of the landscape/countryside ## This application has been recommended for approval for the following reason. The application accords with Environment Policies 19, 20 and 21 of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 and accords with the principle strategies set out in landscape character appraisal D10 of the Area Plan for the East 2020. Plans/Drawings/Information; This approval relates to Covering letter and drawing sheet numbers 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 10 all date received 04/05/2021. _______________________________________________________________ ## Interested Person Status Additional Persons None _____________________________________________________________________________ Officer’s Report THE APPLICATION SITE 1.1 The application site is the extent of an existing property known as 'Marnoch' and adjacent stable building located on the eastern side of Garth Road, Garth and just south of the junction with Foxdale Road. The application site also includes field 324042 measuring - 4.89acres situated on the western side of the road opposite the house which is enclosed on each boundary by sod hedging and with existing gated access in the top corner nearest the road and along the farm lane leading to Ballachrink Farm. 1.2 The existing horse stable sitting alongside the house was originally approved under PA 91/01212/B and has a low level pitched roof and typical timber profile. PROPOSAL 2.1 Proposed is the erection of an extension to the existing stable to allow the creation of 3 stables to accommodate 6 horses and a small barn area to store carriages, haylage, tack and provide a wash bay. The proposal also seek approval for the creation of a sand arena measuring 80m x 40m enclosed by a post and wire fence and a smaller sand paddock measuring 15m x 15m within field 324042. The two areas are to accommodate driven dressage riding and a smaller area for exercise and lunging while the remaining field will be grazed by horses. PLANNING HISTORY - 3.1 Aforementioned the most relevant application in the case of this was 91/01212/B for the existing stable. PLANNING POLICY - 4.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the East 2020 (TAPE) as not being for any particular use or purpose and within Landscape Character Area D10, as such there is a general presumption against any kind of development as set out across established policies within the IOM Strategic Plan (Environment Policy 1 and General Policy 3). However the same plan also contains a number of paragraphs and policies that specifically relate to the development of new equestrian-related development: 4.2 Paragraph 7.15.1 states: "Equestrian activities are becoming increasingly popular in rural areas and on the fringes of our towns and villages. These activities can generally take place only on open, rural land, and often represent a useful way of diversifying traditional farming. The use of land as grazing land falls within the definition of agriculture (section 45 of the 1999 Town and Country Planning Act), and does not therefore involve development, but the keeping of horses and the operation of equestrian activities generally do involve development and may have an adverse impact on the appearance and character of the countryside. Sensitive siting and high standards of design, construction, and maintenance are necessary to ensure that there are no such adverse impacts. Whilst horses should be well housed, it will seldom be appropriate to use cavity-wall construction for stables, since such buildings may too easily be adapted for residential uses, so thwarting other policies of this Plan. Where new buildings are necessary, they should be sited close to existing building groups, and designed not only to blend with their surroundings but also to suit their specific purpose." - 4.3 Environment Policy 19 states: "Development of equestrian activities and buildings will only be accepted in the countryside where there will be as a result of such development no loss in local amenity, no loss of high quality agricultural land (Classes 1 and 2) and where the local highway network can satisfactorily accommodate any increase in traffic" - 4.4 Environment Policy 20 states: "There will be a presumption against large scale equestrian developments, which includes new buildings and external arenas, in areas with High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance unless there are exceptional circumstances to override such a policy." - 4.5 Environment Policy 21 states: "Buildings for the stabling, shelter or care of horses or other animals will not be permitted in the countryside if they would be detrimental to that character and appearance of the countryside in terms of siting, design, size or finish. Any new buildings must be designed in form and materials to reflect their specific purpose; in particular, cavity-wall construction should not be used" - 4.6 TAPE - landscape character D10: "Landscape Character Area Braaid (D10) - Landscape Strategy Conserve and enhance: - a) the character, quality and distinctiveness of the area, with its open large pastoral fields; - b) its Manx hedges; - c) its scattered farm houses fringed by trees; - d) its sunken and enclosed rural road network and its numerous archaeological features. Key Views Extensive uninterrupted panoramic views from higher points over large open fields and Greeba Valley and the northern Uplands and eastwards to the built-up edge of Douglas. Some glimpsed views over fields from most sections of roads, which are enclosed by high grassed Manx hedgerows for the most part." 5.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only. 5.1 Marown Parish Commissioners - no comments received as of 04/08/2021. 5.2 Department of Infrastructure Highway Services - Do not oppose (04/06/2021). - 5.3 No comments received from neighbouring properties. ASSESMENT 6.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this planning application are the broad principles of its acceptability and whether or not it would result in any adverse harm on the character and appearance of the countryside. 6.2 In terms of the extension to the existing stable to create a stable and store, this has been sensitively sited to ensure no adverse impact on neighbouring amenity or on the wider character of the landscape beyond the existing stable and in this respect the proposal is considered acceptable in respect of Environment Policy 21. 6.3 On the adjacent side of the road are to be two sand arenas providing areas specific for carriage dressage riding and for general exercising and lunging of horses, the arenas do not including any buildings or structures and so the change in ground materials from grass to sand to create the arenas is likely to go unnoticed to most minded of the sod bank hedging that encloses the field any limiting public and wider views which will remain uninterrupted up across the landscape in line with Environment Policy 20 and Landscape D10. The arenas are to be enclosed by post and wire fencing which is typically found across the countryside and for which there are certain levels of permitted development. 6.4 Soil classification maps indicate this area as being Class 3, so while the proposal results in the loss of a fairly sizable area of grazed field this is not considered to be unacceptable in terms of Environment Policy 19, and there still remains notable area to accommodate a continued grazing of horses. CONCLUSION - 7.2 Overall it is concluded that the works are acceptable and to comply with the tests of Environment Policies 19, 20 and 21 and given the low level nature of the sand arenas the scheme is not considered contrary to the strategies set out in landscape character appraisal D10. Two conditions shall be added to the approval, one requiring the removal of the arenas should they no longer be used or needed for equestrian purposes and one clarifying that the stable extension and arena are to remain for private use only and not for commercial use. INTERESTED PERSON STATUS - 8.1 By virtue of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019, the following persons are automatically interested persons: - (a) the applicant (including an agent acting on their behalf); - (b) any Government Department that has made written representations that the Department considers material; - (c) the Highways Division of the Department of Infrastructure; - (d) Manx National Heritage where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; - (e) Manx Utilities where it has made written representations that the Department considers material; - (f) the local authority in whose district the land the subject of the application is situated; and - (g) a local authority adjoining the authority referred to in paragraph (f) where that adjoining authority has made written representations that the Department considers material. 8.2 The decision maker must determine: - o whether any other comments from Government Departments (other than the Department of Infrastructure Highway Services Division) are material; and - o whether there are other persons to those listed above who should be given Interested Person Status I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded Interested Person Status. Decision Made: Permitted Date: 05.08.2021 Determining officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner Customer note This copy of the officer report reflects the content of the file copy and has been produced in this form for the benefit of our online services/customers and archive records. --- *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/7466-marown-marnoch-ballanicholas-garth-extension/documents/932191*