http://publicaccess.salford.gov.uk/publicaccess/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage APPLICATION No: 14/64676/FUL APPLICANT: Mr Alan Whitehead - Moss Farm Fisheries LOCATION: Moss Farm , Cutnook Lane, Irlam, M44 5NB PROPOSAL: Retrospective planning application for the construction of four fishing ponds and use of existing buildings as a café, wormery and tackle shop WARD: Irlam Description of Site and Surrounding Area This application relates to a 10.3 hectare site on Irlam Moss which comprises land, car parking, a number of buildings and a total of six ponds, two of which were permitted under application 07/54591/FUL with the remaining four being under the consideration of this application. The site is surrounded by other farms and associated buildings, land and access tracks. The site is located within the Green Belt and the character of the moss is largely flat with any raised areas predominantly limited to site boundaries/ditch drain bankings. The original site entrance off Cutnook Lane and to the east of the dwelling house has been blocked up with access new taken from a point further south along Cutnook Lane. The access road leads up between the two authorised ponds up to the car parking area and the site buildings. The buildings on site include the Farm House and two barns to the north and west of the farmhouse as well as a café, tackle shop, wormery, storage buildings and a number of disused containers. There are no new buildings on site, however the use of the buildings as a wormery and café do not have the benefit of planning permission and are to be considered as part of this application. The 2010 application permits the provision of a log cabin for use as a tackle shop, however the tackle shop is operating from an existing building on site rather than the building identified under application 10/58869/FUL. The area of the four new ponds was previously fields. Cutnook Lane and the other surrounding roads are identified as public rights of way. There are no public rights of way which cross the site, although there is a pathway which provides access around the perimeter of the site which the application refers to as a nature trail. Raspberry Lane is to the south of the site, this lane is overgrown and no longer provides an access route. To the east and west of the site are ditch drains with access roads/public rights of way beyond. The nearest residential properties are Oakfield to the south and Woodbarn Farm and Birch View Farm to the west. Description of Proposal This application seeks to regularise the current use of the site and will therefore consider the construction and use of the four additional fishing ponds, the tackle shop, the café and the wormery. Further details of each of the parts are provided below: Tackle Shop Whilst the tackle shop is not operating from the building identified under the 2010 application its use remains the same as that considered under application 10/58869/FUL which was permitted. It utilises an existing building which has been in situ since approximately 2012 and as such the construction of the building is immune from enforcement action. The tackle shop building is within the same ownership as the remainder of the site but is independently run. It is not considered that the current tackle shop use has changed significantly since the approval of application 10/58869/FUL and it is acknowledged that the provision of the onsite tackle shop supports the use of the site as a fishery having particular regard to the two ponds to the east of the site which were granted planning permission in 2007. The opening hours for the tackle shop are 8am – 4pm. Wormery The wormery is housed within an existing building adjacent to the car parking area. Toilets are provided in the rear of this building and it has at some point been extended to the rear to provide a building for the storage of equipment. The applicants have advised that the wormery and storage building were erected around 2010. The owners of the site grow worms in the wormery which are used to feed the fish throughout the year and are also sold to people using the site for fishing. Café The café operates from an existing building to the north of the car park area which the applicants have advised was built by the previous owners as part of an old permission for a cattery and kennels at the site. The café has two members of staff and as with the tackle shop the café is independently run but the building is owned by the applicants. The operating hours of the café is 7.30am – 3pm Tuesday to Sunday and it employs 2 members of staff. Ponds The two authorised ponds are located to the eastern side of the site. Access is provided via a road between these two ponds and up to the car parking area and site buildings. The four ponds which are the consideration of this application are located to the western side of the site and have been created through the importation of material to raise the land levels to allow the formation of the ponds without excavation of the land and the peat which the applicants confirm lies below. Access is provided from the car parking area up a short hill, to allow for the change in levels which have been engineered on site, with the ponds all being lined next to each other running from north to south across the site. The areas between the ponds are laid to grass. The first pond includes further raised areas for stock ponds adjacent to both sides where smaller fish are kept until they are big enough to be fished at which time they are moved into the larger ponds. The construction of the ponds began in September 2013 and was completed around May 2014. The submitted ‘Long section LS04-06’ plan (drawing number BC-1702-697-R1-F08) shows the water level of the two authorised ponds at 24.98m with the water level of the four new ponds at 27.1m, a difference of 2.12m. The fisheries are open between the hours of 7am and 7pm in the summer and 7am to approximately 4pm in the winter months. Overnight camping is available on the large specimen lake, once the gates are locked at night visitors are not able to leave and any people staying overnight have to be a member of the lake and carry photo ID at all times. Dwelling House and Barns The farm house is sited towards the eastern end of the site and to the north of the two authorised fishing ponds. Further north of the dwelling house are two barns. No changes are proposed to the dwelling house and the two barns as part of this application although it is noted that application 16/69231/FUL is currently under consideration which proposes the demolition of existing buildings and structures, and erection of one replacement dwelling house and the construction of 5 additional dwelling houses with associated works. There is an existing building identified as a visitor centre on the submitted site plan, however the applicants have advised that the site as a whole is considered to be a visitor centre and during the site visit they confirmed that the building in question is used for storage of equipment. In addition the applicants have confirmed that the farm shop is no longer on site and that the building is solely used by the café. The site is open to fishing club members as well as general members of the public who wish to fish. The applicants seek to encourage the use of the site for non-fishers who may wish to use the facilities or park up and leave their cars whilst they go walking around the area. The site is also used by various community groups and schools and this is discussed in more detail further in the report. The application site includes an informal footpath which runs around the perimeter of the ponds area and allows for camping around the pond areas for fishers. There is an existing hardstanding on site used for car parking as well as an overspill area to the north of the first new pond (Millie). This area is not formally marked out, however the application form indicates that provision for 20 cars is provided as well as 4 disabled parking spaces and 5 cycle spaces. Publicity Site Notice: Non HH Article 15 Date Displayed: 1 July 2015 Reason: Article 13 Press Advert: Salford Advertiser Date Published: 8 May 2014 Reason: Article 13 Standard Press Notice Relevant Site History 16/69231/FUL – Demolition of existing buildings and structures, and erection of one replacement dwelling house and the construction of 5 additional dwelling houses with associated works. Pending consideration 10/58869/FUL – Change of use of land and buildings to establish a farm visitors centre, including the change of use of the cattery building for the farm centre, the creation of a new car parking area, the creation of a fishing lake with log cabin for a tackle shop and the erection of two agricultural buildings. Permitted 09/58141/FUL – Agricultural livestock building in association with the proposed visitor centre. Withdrawn 09/58142/FUL – Creation of two fishing lakes and the siting of a log cabin for fishing tackle and bait. Withdrawn 09/58150/FUL – Change of use of land and buildings at Moss farm to establish a Farm Visitor Centre, including the change of use of the cattery building for the farm visitor centre and the creation of a new car parking area.