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Onchan Local Plan |
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RESIDENTIAL (1 of 2)
Population |
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| 4.1 |
The population of Onchan is fairly evenly distributed throughout the various age groups with no major "bulges" of any particular age group, unlike the population in Douglas which shows a major concentration of its population in the 25-40 age brackets. This perhaps is explained by the relatively few employment opportunities within the study area and a housing stock which in the past has not generally favoured the first time buyer, although this has been corrected slightly in the last decade by the developments at Heywood Park, Harbour Road and Church Road. |
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| 4.2 | Onchan has slightly more of its population in the 0-15 age bracket than does either the Island as a whole or Douglas, confirming the theory that the housing stock in the village favours more the second time buyer and those wanting family homes which are slightly larger than the standard first time buyers' property. |
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| 4.3 | The population of Onchan has, for the last forty years or so, followed very closely the pattern of population growth seen by the Island as a whole, perhaps not surprisingly as much of Onchan's growth in housing stock - Lakeside, Ballachurry and Birch Hill developed at the time when the Island's population as a whole was expanding. Onchan has as such seen a very sudden and dramatic rise in its housing numbers in the form of very modern housing estates located at the periphery of the village bordering open countryside. This has resulted in some areas in a very stark boundary to the built-up area as can be seen at Lakeside and parts of Birch Hill as viewed from the TT course, at the Creg-ny-Baa and from Little Mill. |
| 4.4 | The Department is conscious of a general desire from local people not to permit any further expansion of development into open countryside although there is some merit in permitting some further development in a form which will soften existing harsh boundaries with the countryside. In the case of the land alongside Lakeside, planning permission has been granted (PA 95/0772) in the form of approval in principle, for a residential development which provides for a net density of around five dwellings to the acre, significant amounts of open space and opportunities for play facilities. Birch Hill can currently be seen in parts from the Creg-ny-Baa area and it is considered that these parts are visible because they are seen on the skyline and could only be hidden by further development which would itself represent an obvious and new extension of the built-up area into open countryside. |
| 4.5 |
There are a number of sites which were identified on the 1989 Onchan Local Plan as being suitable for residential development amongst other uses but which have not been developed or development completed since the adoption of that plan. These areas are as follows:
It should be noted that Area 8 - land off Maple Avenue was at the commencement of the revision process still subject to various planning applications. Development has since been approved (see paragraph 4.18) and has commenced. |
Douglas Bay Hotel Site - Area 3 |
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| 4.6 | This site has lain undeveloped for some time since the previous hotel building was demolished. Whilst planning permission has been granted for the erection of a corporate headquarters (PA 95/1378), this has not been undertaken to date and the site remains untouched. It may be preferable therefore, in the interests of furthering development of the site, to introduce some flexibility of end-use of the site and in this respect it is considered acceptable to permit residential use of the site. It is important, as is the case with the development of the site for commercial purposes, that the resultant building or buildings are of an appropriately high standard of design which befits such a prominent site. It is also important, bearing in mind the position of the site that adequate levels of car parking are provided as part of the development. The Inspector appointed to hear the Inquiry supported the view that the site is a prime one for development opportunities and should be retained as such. The Inspector judged however that the car parking ratio to be applied should be reduced in line with the more flexible standard which has previously been applied and which should be applied as a national standard. However, the Department considers that the application of a flexible standard on this site would ignore the fact that car parking is not available for the proposed housing on this site to any great extent outside the site and as such all car parking proposals must be self contained. As such, the Department would confirm its requirement for three car parking spaces per residential unit although attention will be paid to the size of each unit in the case of apartments and the number of bed spaces proposed therein. |
Majestic Hotel Site - Area 4 |
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| 4.7 | The Department has previously resolved that the Majestic Hotel site on King Edward Road would be suitable for Office use under certain circumstances (see paragraphs 2.6, 2.12 and 2.16) or hotel development (see paragraphs 3.10, 3.12 and 3.20). The Department also considers, bearing in mind the location of the site in amongst residential development, that the site would be suitable for a form of residential development. It is important that any new building or buildings are designed to sit comfortably on the site as did the original building and not intrude into the amenities of the public who may view or pass the site or adjacent property owners and, in this respect the proposed buildings where these are erected on the site of the former hotel or between this and King Edward Road may not exceed the height achieved by the original building as viewed from King Edward Road (taken as 56.00 above ordnance datum). Where buildings are erected between the former hotel and the public footpath the overall height of these buildings as measured above ordnance datum should acknowledge the slope of the site and be lower than that of the buildings higher on the site. |
Howstrake Holiday Camp - Area 5 |
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| 4.8 | This site lies alongside the King Edward Road just to the south east of the Groudle Holiday Village. The site once accommodated a holiday camp but the site has long since been used as such: latterly the buildings have fallen into disrepair and dereliction and when viewed from the King Edward Road, Groudle headland or the Ballameanagh Road do little to contribute positively to the appearance of the coastline. |
| 4.9 | The Onchan Local Plan adopted by Tynwald in 1989 included a policy which indicated that the site may be suitable for the development of tourist accommodation but required that a detailed application was to be approved within five years of the adoption of the plan or the site was to revert to a status of Open Space with a presumption against development. No detailed approval was granted. The Department resolved in the first draft of the revision of the local plan to identify development opportunities in order to achieve some tidying up of the site. The Department has received views on this proposal and has reviewed its initial decision in the light of these comments. |
| 4.10 | The Department reconsidered the options which could be pursued with respect to this site: the stance of designation of the site for Open Space could be continued (see also paragraph 2.7) which would have the advantage of protection of the site from the development of new buildings which would limit the visual intrusion on views of the site and limits any destruction of habitat for wildlife (the site is valuable for ecology - see Section 10 Open Space and Nature Conservation). The downside of this policy is that it is unlikely that the existing unsightly buildings would be removed or tidied up without some incentive and that the current state of affairs would continue indefinitely. |
| 4.11 | Another option would be to continue the zoning of Tourism on the site and restrict development on the site to that area which is already built upon. This would have had the advantage of tidying up the site and possibly securing a public right of way across the site, thus presenting some opportunity for public amenity. The drawbacks of this policy include a risk that nothing would happen on the site, bearing in mind the changing nature of tourism and that the site would continue to deteriorate as it has for the past decade or so. Also, any new development would be likely to have a significant visual impact and may have had an adverse impact on the wildlife of the area. |
| 4.12 | A further alternative option would be to encourage a limited amount of residential development on the site instead of tourist accommodation. This may have the advantage of limiting to a smaller area the part of the site to be built upon and which may secure a better style of development. Disadvantages include a possible detrimental impact on ecology from domestic curtilages and constant human presence on the site and the obvious visual impact of houses on the coast where there has been none previously. |
| 4.13 | It is concluded that the most appropriate option for the Howstrake Holiday Camp site is to designate the land as Open Space. Whilst this does not achieve an instant improvement of the site in visual terms which was the option preferred by the Department in the first draft and something to which the Inspector hearing the public inquiry would aspire, it does not change what many have become accustomed to see. The Department considers that whilst there may be benefit from tidying up the site and reclaiming part of it, the cost of this is the permanent visual impact of dwellings on the site where there has been none previously. Few if any of the headlands in Onchan remain free from development and, bearing in mind its exposed and rural location, the Department considers that this too should remain free from new development. The Department would encourage use of the site as Public Open Space with public rights of way through the site to Groudle Glen and the beach. |
Land between Lakeside and Groudle Glen - Area 6 |
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| 4.14 | This site represents around forty two acres of land which lies between Groudle Glen, Groudle Road, Whitebridge Road and Lakeside Gardens. The site was designated in 1982 for Tourist Accommodation in Parkland but this was altered in 1989 to Residential in Parkland in the main with an area zoned as Low Density Housing in Parkland on that part running from the King Edward Bay Golf Club entrance along Groudle Road. This site was the subject of a number of applications for residential development the last of which was approved in principle on Appeal (reference PA 97/0772). Whilst the Department is aware of significant local objection to the development of this land, the Department believes, as has been clear from the recent decision to approve the above application, that the development of this land is acceptable subject to certain criteria. The development of the site at the appropriate density with significant areas of open space can provide not only a number of dwellings for which there is limited opportunity elsewhere in the village, but can also provide a significant area for children's play and informal enjoyment (walks, seated areas, large areas of planting). This type of development can also achieve a significant softening of the currently stark edge to the built development at Lakeside. |
| 4.15 | It should be noted however that there is an elongated piece of land which runs parallel with Groudle Road from a point around the entrance to the Golf Club to the road bridge over Groudle River which was previously zoned for Low Density Housing in Parkland. Whilst a layout of this nature has been approved under PA 97/0772, it is considered that development of any type on this piece of land would only be successful in sitting comfortably in the countryside if the roadside hedge which forms the eastern boundary of the site is retained and reinstated/refurbished where necessary and where new buildings are sufficiently low-rise so as not to be seen from Groudle Road. |
Land at Hague Farm - Area 7 |
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| 4.16 | The 1989 Onchan Local Plan identified for residential use an area of some 5.5 acres bounded by Hague Walk, the back of numbers 21-33, Summerhill Road and the back of numbers 2-22, Governor's Road. The site has Hague Farm and its buildings in the middle. Despite having been zoned for residential purposes in 1989 (and having been previously zoned as such in 1982) no development has taken place on this site. |
| 4.17 | Views received in response to the Issues and Options document revealed some concern that the site should not be developed. However, the Department is of the opinion that the land is still suitable for residential purposes as it is surrounded by housing, is accessible in terms of highways and drainage. The Department therefore will continue to designate the land for predominantly residential purposes subject to development occurring at an appropriate distance from the adjacent boundaries with adjoining property (10m). The Department would wish to encourage a mixture of types of dwelling on this site with some provision for first time buyer's housing and in this respect would not prescribe a specific density. Whilst there may be some suggestion that this land may not be available for development, the Department and the Inspector agree that the site is appropriately placed in relation to the facilities available to the village and can be adequately served in terms of infrastructure and as such should remain zoned for residential development. |
Land off Maple Avenue, Ashley Park - Area 8 |
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| 4.18 | The 1989 Onchan Local Plan identified an area at the northern edge of Birch Hill as suitable for development. This forms part of the development known as Ashley Hill and is accessible via Maple Avenue which itself leads out onto Hillberry Road. The site has been the subject of a number of planning applications (92/0230, 92/1710, 94/1094, 95/1255, 97/0973, 97/0974 and 97/1605) which have indicated that the site is suitable for the layout of roads and sewers and the development of dwellings. Further applications have proposed the details of the layout and house types for the land (PAs 98/0690, 98/0691, 98/0692 and 98/1219) the development of which is well under way. It is no longer felt to be appropriate to include a development brief for this land as development has already commenced. However care must be taken to avoid the loss of the landscaping by future development in this area. |
Land at Ridgeway Road - Area 9 |
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| 4.19 | The Onchan Local Plan identified a piece of land on the southern side of Ridgeway Road which was considered suitable for residential development. This formed part of the land of the former St. Anthony's Presbytery which has been developed for a small number of dwellings. The remaining piece of land lies immediately opposite Ridgeway Road and the Department is of the opinion that this piece of land, being close to existing housing and adequately served by existing roads and sewers, remains suitable for residential development and should remain zoned as such. The site could sustain one of a number of development types given the variety of house types in the vicinity: the provision of first time buyers' housing would be encouraged. The Inspector concluded also that this site was appropriate for the development of housing. |
Plots within Manor Park - Area 10 |
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| 4.20 | There are remaining a number of plots off the slowly developing site known as Manor Park which have yet to be developed. Manor Park is accessed from Harbour Road and runs parallel to Howe Road in a west-east direction. The dwellings in Manor Park are of two distinct types: on the southern side the properties are larger and appear as single storey toward the road and two storey toward the sea. The dwellings on the other side of the road, backing onto Howstrake Heights are smaller, mostly mock-Tudor in detailing and finish and appear as split level taking advantage of the fall in the slope of the land. The Department is of the opinion that this area in general should be completed as soon as possible and in this context should remain zoned as predominantly residential. All new properties should be designed to complement existing house types and not be detrimental to the outlook or amenities of those existing properties alongside, in front or behind. |
Other Sites Suggested for Residential Development |
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Land behind Government House - Area 11 |
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| 4.21 | There is a substantial piece of land, around 25 acres which lies between the newly developed Heywood Park and Government House. This land was previously zoned for Educational purposes on the Onchan Local Plan and the Department of Education has indicated that the majority of this land should continue to be reserved for this purpose as the need for increased educational facilities continues to grow in this part of the Island. However, there has also been an indication that there is a need for improved and increased recreational facilities in this area and also a need for the provision for housing of a specialist type for elderly persons and possibly a facility (day centre, administration building) for the Manx Blind Welfare Society. The site is an important one inasmuch as it establishes the boundary between Douglas and Onchan and in this respect the Department would not permit any development which would undermine this separation. However, the Department is of the opinion that it would be possible to accommodate a variety of uses on this site without undermining the distinction between the two settlements. |
| 4.22 | The Department would therefore support the re-designation of all of this site from purely Education to a combination of Education (providing for the development of new primary or secondary school facilities), recreation (children's play facilities to provide for children from the neighbouring estates) and specialist residential and associated facilities (sheltered housing and facilities for the Manx Blind Welfare Society). Such development must safeguard the open space between any built development and the TT Course and be sensitive to the outlook and amenities of adjacent existing property (see paragraph 4.52). It should be noted that whilst previously a separation distance of 50 metres between any development and the TT Course was required, the Department now considers that this would not provide sufficient space to maintain the green lung between Douglas and Onchan and that rather than releasing all of the top field for development that building should occur in the top half of the first two fields, thus keeping development some 120 metres from the TT Course: this would also have the benefit of reducing car borne noise to the residents of the new housing. |
King Edward Road - Area 12 |
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| 4.23 | There is a small piece of land which lies between the property known as "Far End" and the public footpath which forms part of the Raad ny Foillan. It has been suggested that this piece of land represents a suitable site for the development of further dwellings, balancing the extent of development on the upper side of the road. The Department would accept that this site could accommodate a small number of dwellings without being detrimental to the amenities of the surrounding area. Whilst it has been suggested that the site may be able to accommodate a higher number of dwellings and the Inspector considered also that a more flexible approach to the development of the site should be adopted and that a specific number of dwellings should not be required in the plan, the Department considers that development should be in accordance with that existing to the west and as such has judged that no more than three dwellings could be developed on this site without detriment to adjacent property or the view of the site from the main road. To include flexibility at this stage would, in the opinion of the Department encourage developments which would not be appropriate. Access to the site would be from King Edward Road and any road into the site must not have a gradient in excess of 1 in 10. The advice of the Department of Transport Highways and Traffic Division is recommended prior to the submission of any planning application for the site. |
Furman Close - Area 13 |
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| 4.24 | There is a small piece of land within Furman Close which lies adjacent to St. Peter's Churchyard which is within an area designated on the 1989 Onchan Local Plan for predominantly residential use. Several planning applications have been submitted on this site for various forms of residential development, some of which have been approved and others rejected. The latest application, PA 97/2121, was approved at Appeal for the development of thirteen dwellings. |
| 4.25 | The Department considers that this site is suitable for residential development provided that the form of development is appropriate, taking into account the impact on existing property, much of which has been developed right up to the boundaries of this piece of land. It is also important that adequate car parking is provided to cater for the proposed development as adjacent roadways are not sufficiently wide to accommodate increased levels of on street parking. |
"Brownswood", Ashley Hill - Area 14 |
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| 4.26 | There has been a request that part of a small area close to Ashley Hill School be zoned such that an additional dwelling could be erected adjacent to an existing property. "Brownswood" is an existing dwelling located on the narrow road which leads to Woodlands Towers. "Brownswood" sits in a large area surrounded by trees and permission has been sought for an additional dwelling to be permitted within the residential curtilage. The Department considers that this is unlikely to have any adverse impact due to the existing screening of the site and would therefore not oppose the development of one additional dwelling of appropriate design within this site. The Inspector concurred with this conclusion. |
Land at Dowty Aerospace - Area 15 |
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| 4.27 | There is a piece of land which lies behind the existing Dowty Aerospace factory which was designated in the 1989 Onchan Local Plan for industrial purposes with a recommendation that the future use of the land be reconsidered in any revision of the local plan. This piece of land has never been developed and there has been an indication from the land owner that not all of the site is likely to be required for industrial purposes. As such, part of the site could be developed for residential purposes as there are other residential properties adjacent to the site. The site is heavily banked up adjacent to the lower part of Ashley Road where it joins Little Mill and School Roads and the development of housing, bearing in mind the size and shape of the site would probably mean that housing would be very clearly visible from Ashley Road - a road which is relatively rural at present. Also, it should also be noted that there is not an abundance of industrial land available in the Onchan area and as such the Department, having reconsidered this site considers it appropriate to reserve the site for purely industrial use and development. The Inspector concurred with this conclusion. The Department has also noted that there is a general need for heavy goods vehicle parking in the Onchan area and in this respect would encourage the land owner to consider permitting the use of the site for this purpose. |
Land off Royal Avenue - Area 16 |
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| 4.28 | There is a small piece of land which lies behind numbers 112-118 Royal Avenue and which backs onto St. Peter's Cemetery. This piece of land was previously zoned as Private Woodland and represents a piece of back land which is characterised by abundant undergrowth and mature trees. |
| 4.29 | Several applications have been submitted to try to gain planning permission for the erection of flats, individual dwellings and the creation of a meeting hall - all of which have been refused. Views were received in response to the Issues and Options document which objected to the proposal for any development of this site and one submission request that the site be zoned for residential development, possibly for elderly persons. Indeed the Inspector recommended that the Department reconsider the appropriateness of this site for housing - possibly a pair of semi-detached houses - in the light of the lack of overall provision for new housing. |
| 4.30 | Whilst the site is large enough to accommodate a small-scale development of housing, the Department is of the opinion that any development of the site would have an adverse impact on the character and value of the site as a "green pocket" within the built up area. Also, the amenities of those living on Royal Avenue would be adversely affected by having new buildings erected behind them and as such, the Department considers that the site should continue to be designated as Private Woodland with a presumption against development. Whilst it is accepted that the continued designation for Open Space or Woodland will be unlikely to result in continued maintenance of the area, the Department believes that, whether managed or not the site contributes significantly in its natural state to the amenities of the Churchyard, those properties immediately alongside it and to the footpath which leads from Royal Avenue to St. Peter's Churchyard. |
School Road/Sandringham Drive - Area 17 |
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| 4.31 | There is a piece of land which stretches between Sandringham Drive and School Road which is currently zoned for purposes of education. This represents an area roughly the size of two pairs of semi-detached properties one fronting onto Sandringham Drive and the other onto School Road. This piece of land has clearly once been intended for residential development of a form similar to that which has already been built further down both streets, but after not having been developed has subsequently been considered suitable for retention for educational purposes should Onchan Primary School ever need to expand as there is no opportunity for expansion on any of the school's other boundaries. The access from the school yard onto School Road is also very close to the bend in the road and introduction of a new entrance and crossing for the school children further down School Road would be of benefit: this would be possible through this site. Despite having been zoned for educational purposes since 1989 and the school having been extended within its existing curtilage, the area below the school has not been the subject of any proposals for use in connection with Onchan Primary School. However, it is considered, as Onchan School is land-locked with limited opportunities for expansion, that there should still be some opportunity retained for the site to be used or developed for educational purposes and as such, the site should be zoned solely for purposes of education. Whilst the Inspector concluded that adequate opportunities had been available for the acquisition of the land for educational purposes, the Department would not wish to prevent the land becoming available for the use of the school and as such has resolved to confirm the use of the land as Education. |
26, Governor's Road - Area 18 |
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| 4.32 | This was previously within the Mixed Use zone which centred upon the former Ballacurrie House which was redeveloped to form the Coutts Bank headquarters. Alongside this new building is a small plot of land which is characterised by an abundance of trees which has been the subject of numerous planning applications for a variety of uses (PAs 90/0630, 90/1176, 92/0660, 97/0334, 97/1832 and 97/1833). Planning permission has been granted for the erection of a dwelling although this has never been erected. Whilst the land was not previously zoned for residential development, it is considered most suitable in principle for use for residential rather than other purposes due to the existence of housing on other sides of the site. It should be noted however, that the trees on the site are considered an important feature and the presumption during the course of any planning application will be that the trees will, in the main be retained. Any planning application must be discussed, prior to the submission of plans with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Forestry Section to ensure that the proposals are possible and acceptable in terms of the protection of the trees on site both during and after the course of construction. It should be noted that there is some concern that this site would be better left undeveloped and used as either Open Space or as Public Open Space. It is proposed that the site would be suitable for only one dwelling (see paragraph 4.56) on the basis that whilst two dwellings, possibly semi-detached could take up the same floor area or footprint as one detached property, the amount of land dedicated to hard surfacing, drives, paths, parking etc, would double and it is these areas as well as the actual buildings which cause harm and possibly the loss of the trees, it is considered that the site is only suitable for one dwelling and no more. |
Nursery Hotel site - Area 19 |
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| 4.33 | It has been suggested that the site of the former Nursery Hotel could be suitable for sheltered housing rather than the development of a large-scale retail facility (see paragraphs 2.5 and 2.11). Whilst there may be some conflict between the operation of the car park and public house and sheltered housing, it is envisaged that the retention of the existing trees between the car park and the site and suitable boundary treatment could enable sheltered housing to be accommodated on the site. It may also be acceptable, bearing in mind the nature of the traffic to be generated by such a development for access to be provided via the narrow land alongside Birchley Terrace. It is not considered appropriate for the site to be developed for non-sheltered housing. |
Abbeylands - Area 20 |
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| 4.34 | The Department has received a submission regarding the desire by the land owner to develop one dwelling on the holding known as Lower Ballacashin which is situated at the northern end and to the east of the Abbeylands Road. Planning permission has been refused on this site previously (PA 90/0815) due to the absence of a proven agricultural need and the perceived visual impact of a new dwelling in this location. However, the local planning process offers the opportunity for sites such as this to be re-assessed and where it is considered that there would be no adverse impact, the opportunity may be afforded to develop such sites, despite having been refused in the past (see also the site adjacent to "Brownswood" - Area 14). In this respect, it may be considered that the visual impact of a new dwelling here may not be significant and that the local need outweighs the general presumption against development in countryside such as this. |
Other Parts of Onchan |
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| 4.35 | There are only relatively limited opportunities for further development within the existing built-up part of the village and these have been identified in the various numbered sites which are illustrated on the scheme and included in the text of this document. There are sites which lie within wider areas of residential use and in this respect the land at Larch Hill and off Alberta Drive warrant consideration. The land at Larch Hill was identified as residential in the 1982 Development Plan Order but was not within the area considered in the 1989 Onchan Local Plan. Planning approval was sought and denied for housing on this site and despite opposition to the principle of the development of the land from the Planning Committee, an Appeal resulted in this principle being deemed acceptable (PA 98/0608). Similarly the land between Royal Avenue and Alberta Drive was included in the wider residential area designated in 1989. In both cases the principle of the development of the land is still considered acceptable in overall terms and the density and form of the development should respond to the individual characteristics of the site (for example the presence of trees) and the general form and density of development in the surrounding area. The Issues and Options document included a question as to whether the built-up part of the village should be permitted to expand further into the surrounding countryside. The majority of responses to this Issue indicated that no further development should be permitted into the surrounding countryside. The built edge of the village abuts the countryside in a number of places some of which could physically accommodate development: the King Edward Road and King Edward Bay Golf Course lie to the east, Groudle and Molly Quirk's Glens and Little Mill to the north east and Ballachrink and Glen Dhoo Farms to the north. |
| 4.36 | There are problems with the development of most of these areas for a variety of reasons: the development of the King Edward Bay Golf Course would result in the loss of a successful recreational facility and promote the development of a prominent hillside which would be visible for miles. The land on both sides of the Whitebridge is also prominent and would result in new access points being created off a very busy highway: sewerage in this area is also non-existent. Little Mill currently has a number of properties situated on or near it although the roadway through the area is narrow and tortuous and is not suitable for any further traffic. Finally, the hillside surrounding Birch Hill is very prominent as viewed from the Creg-ny-Baa and Kate's Cottage and from the Ballacottier Road. The Department would not accept the development of the fields immediately to the north of Highfield Crescent as this would result in the appearance of dwellings creeping over the hillside and into the rural countryside below. |
| 4.37 | It has been suggested that there may be scope for some development of this land to the north of Birch Hill without this having a detrimental impact on the view of the area: the field which backs onto numbers 48 to 68 Birch Hill Crescent/Birch Hill Close - referred to in the public inquiry as the "omission site" lies such that development of an appropriate scale may not appear on the skyline or as viewed from the north an obvious addition to the existing development. However, the Department is aware that new buildings on this site would be clearly visible from the Little Mill Road and the road which leads up to the Clypse and Kerrowdhoo Reservoirs. The Department believes that there is an important principle associated with the development of this site in that if development is to be prevented from spreading further toward the Ballacottier Road, it is going to have to stop at some time and if the "omission site" is developed then the existing development will be seen to have crept around the side of the hill and will soon be appearing on the downhill slopes of the area where existing dwellings can be seen on the skyline. If development is permitted on the "omission site" then prevention of the further development of the remaining land between Birch Hill and the Ballacottier Road would be undermined. For these reasons, whilst the Department is aware that there is an overall lack of provision for new housing in Onchan and whilst the Inspector has indicated that development of this area would be acceptable on this basis, the Department would not wish to see any further expansion of the existing boundary of Birch Hill with the surrounding countryside. |
Area 21 - Slegaby and Ballacottier Farms |
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| 4.38 | The Department has received a suggestion that the area between the Clypse and Ballacottier farms could be suitable for some additional dwellings on an infill basis. There are two stone buildings in this area - one, a tuck mill and the other a substantial barn which are worthy of consideration for some type of development. There are also a small number of dwellings scattered around these buildings which collectively could, it has been suggested, become a nucleus for a new dwelling group. The land is generally quite neglected but has considerable potential for an area of great landscape value, ecological and public interest. There is potential for a public footpath to be introduced through this area from the Ballacottier Road and/or the road leading to the Clypse and Kerrowdhoo Reservoirs up to the Creg-ny-Baa where the public could appreciate the attractiveness of the area, the unique setting and the buildings of interest. |
| 4.39 | The Department is concerned, however, that the character of this area should not be undermined by the introduction of new, modern buildings - a concern shared by the Inspector - and in this respect, the Department would give positive consideration for the conversion of both the substantial barn and the tuck mill to residential use or the demolition of the former and its rebuilding to form a substantial dwelling designed in accordance with policy 8 of Planning Circular 3/91 - Guide the Design of Residential Development in the Countryside. Such a proposal must involve the complete demolition of the existing derelict farmhouse alongside the barn and does not permit or imply permission for its rebuilding elsewhere. This proposal does not strictly accord with the Department's general policies regarding the use of redundant farm buildings: however, the building is visible from the Ballacottier Road and the continued deterioration of this building would not be in the interests of the countryside in general. |
| 4.40 | Items of archaeological interest have been found on this site ("Gold Coins" is annotated on the County Series Maps of 1867) and as such, appropriate opportunities must be afforded to Manx National Heritage to inspect disturbed ground, should development proceed. |
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