2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, VENTNOR, Isle of Wight, PO38 3PA

2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, VENTNOR, Isle of Wight, PO38 3PA — Isle of Wight Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 27 November 2024 by Rachael Pipkin BA (Hons) MPhil MRTPI an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 2nd December 2024 Appeal Ref: APP/P2114/W/24/3348988 2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 3PA • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) against a refusal to grant planning permission. • The appeal is made by Mr James Holden against the decision of Isle of Wight Council. • The application Ref is 24/00557/FUL. • The development proposed is described as ‘We seek retrospective planning permission for a small timber garage (5 x 4.2m) situated at the bottom of a 30 metre driveway. This is a single storey structure with no services attached. It has no flooring as it uses the existing hardstanding that the garage sits upon. We also seek retrospective planning for a 15m diameter equestrian turnout pen in the attached field. This is surrounded by rustic wooden fencing and is required for the health and welfare of a horse that has a chronic health condition which requires management. The field itself has been used for the keeping and welfare of horses for many decades.’ Decision 1.

2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, VENTNOR, Isle of Wight, PO38 3PA — Isle of Wight Council — Appeal Decision The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for Retention of timber garage and turnout pen at 2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, Ventnor, Isle of Wight PO38 3PA in accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 24/00557/FUL, and the unnumbered plans submitted with it. Preliminary Matters 2. I have used the description of development from the appeal form and the Council’s decision notice in my formal decision as this more precisely and accurately describes the proposal. 3. The timber garage and turnout pen have been constructed. The application seeks their retention. Main Issue 4. The main issue is the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area, including the Isle of Wight National Landscape. Reasons 5. The appeal site is located within an open and undulating rural landscape, characterised by open fields and paddocks. Barwick Cottages along with other buildings, including stables and areas of hardstanding, forms a small cluster of development on the south side Rookley Farm Lane off Niton Road.

2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, VENTNOR, Isle of Wight, PO38 3PA — Isle of Wight Council — Appeal Decision This area lies within the Isle of Wight National Landscape (formerly the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) which, amongst other things, is valued for its open, undeveloped and rural character. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, VENTNOR, Isle of Wight, PO38 3PA — Isle of Wight Council — Appeal Decision This area lies within the Isle of Wight National Landscape (formerly the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) which, amongst other things, is valued for its open, undeveloped and rural character. https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, VENTNOR, Isle of Wight, PO38 3PA — Isle of Wight Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/P2114/W/24/3348988 6. The timber garage is positioned at the end of the driveway serving the host property, set in a short distance from the lane behind boundary hedgerow. Additional vegetation has been planted to the rear, between the building and the host property. The building is modest in size, with a low profile dual pitched roof. It has a dark stained finish both similar to and in keeping with nearby stable buildings on the site. Due to the sloping topography it sits relatively low in the site and is partially obscured by the surrounding vegetation and nearby stable buildings. It is only really visible approaching the site from Niton Road and here it is seen in and amongst existing timber buildings on the site with the cottage as a backdrop. It does not detract from the open character of the area, nor unduly add to visual clutter within the rural landscape. 7. The turnout pen is positioned on sloping land and on an elevated part of the site. It lies within a landscape which has been subdivided into paddocks and fields and is seen in that context. A modest amount of levelling has been undertaken to create the pen.

2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, VENTNOR, Isle of Wight, PO38 3PA — Isle of Wight Council — Appeal Decision It is surfaced with a natural, porous locally sourced chalk and sand mix and enclosed with open timber fencing. Whilst the turnout pen is visible, I observed that it is not prominent within the landscape where it appears in the context of other paddocks, fencing and fields. The fencing has weathered and the surface material appeared quite muted in colour. As such, the pen does not appear visually intrusive. The area occupied by the pen is modest in size and whilst no longer grassland, it does not reduce the open character of the landscape nor does it detract from views of the countryside, appearing as a compatible feature within this equestrian and rural landscape. 8. The retention of these structures would conserve and not harm the landscape or scenic beauty of the National Landscape. It would not harm the character and appearance of the area. It would therefore comply with Policies DM2 and DM12 of the Island Plan Core Strategy 2012 which together support development proposals that complement the character of the surrounding area including the National Landscape. Policy DM11 is concerned with the historic and built environment and I find no direct relevance to the matters in this appeal. Conditions 9.

2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, VENTNOR, Isle of Wight, PO38 3PA — Isle of Wight Council — Appeal Decision The Council has suggested the imposition of two conditions in the event the appeal were to be allowed. The first requiring details of the colour and finish of the external surfaces of the timber garage and the second requiring alternative boundary treatment for the turnout pen. I have not imposed either condition as I have found both these elements of the scheme, as I observed on site, to be acceptable. Having regard to the tests under Paragraph 56 of the National Planning Policy Framework, these conditions are unnecessary. Conclusion 10. For the reasons set out above, the appeal should be allowed.

2 Barwick Cottages, Niton Road, Rookley, VENTNOR, Isle of Wight, PO38 3PA — Isle of Wight Council — Rachael Pipkin INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2