17 June 2016 · Delegated - Senior Planning Officer Sarah Corlett
Site Adjacent To Laxey Wheel, Wheel Hill, Laxey, Isle Of Man, IM4 7nl
The site is a small gravelled area southeast of the historic Laxey Wheel, within open space, high landscape value land, and the Laxey Conservation Area, currently hosting temporary toilet cubicles under tree canopy near a river and grass bank.
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The officer assessed the fundamental issue of impact on landscape character and quality, noting the site is in designated open space, high landscape value, and Laxey Conservation Area near the UNESCO-…
Policy L/OSNC/PR/1
Presumes against development in designated open space. Officer accepted modest scale and heritage linkage as overriding justification despite designation.
Policy L/CRB/PR/1 - Archaeology
Prohibits development adversely affecting archaeological features or settings, requiring Manx National Heritage consultation. No adverse impact identified near Laxey mines.
Conservation Area Policy 4 of Laxey and Lonan Area Plan Order 2005
Requires preserving or enhancing Conservation Area character. Proposal enhances by replacing temporary toilets without unduly affecting Laxey Wheel setting.
Policy L/CRB/PR/6 - Laxey Wheel and the Mines Complex
Recognises international significance and encourages UNESCO status. Toilet facilities intrinsically linked to site use considered supportive.
General Policy 3
Restricts development outside zoned areas except for specified exceptions including heritage interpretation buildings. Proposal fits as required for heritage site.
Environment Policy 1
Protects countryside unless overriding national need with no alternative. Heritage site need outweighed protection given sympathetic design.
Environment Policy 2
Prioritises landscape character in AHLV unless no harm or essential location. Modest development does not harm wooded character.
Environment Policy 35
Permits only development preserving or enhancing Conservation Areas. Structure enhances site over temporary facilities.
Time limit
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 14 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) (No2) Order 2013 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
no highways involvement and do not object
no objection provided works carried out in accordance with provisions for works within 9m of a river
DEFA Inland Fisheries raised no objection subject to precautions to prevent pollution of the nearby watercourse; Garff Commissioners expressed design concerns but did not object; DOI Highways had no highways interest.
Key concern: architectural quality of the toilet block not in keeping with Laxey Wheel Heritage Site
DEFA Inland Fisheries
Conditional No ObjectionDEFA Fisheries have no objection to the proposed development, provided that these precautions are followed and there is no disturbance of the watercourse or its banks.; The applicant is however advised to contact DEFA when works are due to commence
Conditions requested: precautions followed to reduce the possibility of harmful materials such as concrete or sediment entering the watercourse; no disturbance of the watercourse or its banks
Garff Commissioners
No ObjectionThe Commission expressed concern with the architectural quality of the toilet block. They were of the opinion that a design more in keeping with the status of the Laxey Wheel Heritage Site could have been achieved.; However, Members recognised that the proposed design is practical and cost-effective and were not minded to object to the proposals.
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
No CommentNo Highways Interest; NHI
