5.8

Policy 5.8 - Policy 5.8 of Planning Circular 6/91

Strategic Reserve for possible future residential development.

Site GM001 - Land south-west of Baldrine Road, Baldrine

371 Site GM001 consists of undeveloped land, with a gross area of about 5.88ha. It lies outside the Existing Settlement Boundary of Baldrine as shown on the draft Area Plan. On its north-eastern side, it is bounded by Baldrine Road and the village's main built-up area. The Manx Electric Railway and the A2 run close to the site's south-eastern boundary. There is a railway station, Baldrine Halt, immediately adjacent to this land. Otherwise the site is bounded by open land.

372 In the Laxey and Lonan Area Plan 2005, the northern part of this site is zoned for educational use. The southern part is shown as open land within an Area of High Landscape Value.

373 In the draft Area Plan, as published in May 2018, the whole of this site was designated for predominantly residential development. However, in the Schedule of Proposed Changes, published in July 2019, the Cabinet Office indicated that it would be relegated to the status of a Strategic Reserve Site.

Objections

374 Ellis Brown originally proposed that this land should be allocated as a mixed use site, to include shops, a public house, community facilities and amenity space located close to Baldrine Halt, with residential development on the north-western part of the site, and an area for a new primary school to the south. The Department of Education Sport and Culture, sought the retention of the educational zoning as shown in the existing Local Plan for the possible future development of a new primary school.

375 Ellis Brown now sought the reinstatement of the allocation of Site GM001 for immediate development for mixed use. The reason this land had been demoted to the status of a Strategic Reserve Site was that it fell outside the area covered by the Government's Active Travel Investment Plan, being more than 2.5 miles away from the Sea Terminal in Douglas. However, it was within 2.5 miles of employment areas in Onchan, and would certainly come within an Active Travel Zone centred on one of these. The Active Travel Plan suggested that people could comfortably cycle such a distance to work. In addition, there were good public transport services between Baldrine and Onchan.

376 The retail and community facilities now proposed would make Baldrine more sustainable, by reducing the need for local people to travel elsewhere for their everyday needs. Paragraph A.3.3 of the Strategic Plan suggested that most villages would benefit from additional housing to support local schools, shops and other services. Without further residential development in Baldrine, retail development in this village would not be commercially viable. Accordingly, Site GM001 should be reinstated as a specific allocation for immediate residential development. A failure to provide any sites for immediate residential development in Baldrine would be contrary to the objective of providing a choice of housing in terms of size, type and location.

Inspector's Conclusions

377 Strategic Policy 2 of the Strategic Plan states that new development is to be located primarily within existing town or villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions to those settlements; development will be permitted in the countryside only in specified exceptional circumstances, none of which apply in the present case. I consider that the development of Site GM001 would detract from the rural character of this area, contrary to Strategic Plan policy.

378 Paragraph 5.8 of the Strategic Plan identifies Baldrine as one of a number of smaller settlements with few facilities, which rely on other centres for various services. Provision has already been made for an extension to its built-up area as a result of planning approval having been granted for new housing on Site GH026 (adjacent to Highfield Close); and land contiguous with that site is now proposed as a strategic reserve with potential for future residential development. In my view, the further extension of this small village within the Plan period would be disproportionate. Spatial Policy 4 of the Strategic Plan indicates that development in Baldrine should maintain that settlement's existing character. It should be of an appropriate scale to meet local needs for housing, and limited employment opportunities. The Strategic Plan does not envisage that Baldrine should perform the role of a 'service village'.

379 I have seen no evidence that there is a local housing need in Baldrine, sufficient to justify the allocation of further sites for immediate residential development; or to justify the extension of the present built-up area into the surrounding countryside. Furthermore, the scale of residential development that would be required to make the provision of shops, a public house and other community facilities viable is not clear to me.

380 Nevertheless, in view of the capacity problem in primary schools in parts of the East, I consider that it would be prudent to retain the allocation of part o