20 November 2017 · Planning Committee
Spaldrick House, Bradda Road, Port Erin, Isle Of Man, IM9 6pq
The proposal involved demolishing the existing unattractive Spaldrick House hotel and replacing it with a three-storey 72-bedroom care home designed as three linked villas using render, slate-style tiles, composite cladding and traditional features like bays and hipped roofs.
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The Planning Committee determined the proposal represented over-development due to its size, position, siting, layout, scale, form and design failing to respect the site and surroundings, adversely af…
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site/surroundings in scale/form/design, protect amenity including privacy/overlooking, and avoid harm to character. Officer assessed as compliant given 20m separation, screening, oblique angles, dual-aspect dwellings and zoning, but Committee found scale/siting caused overdevelopment, overlooking at close distance (20-26m) and character harm, failing (b),(c),(g).
Strategic Policy 1
Supports residential redevelopment in village boundary; site zoned Residential on Area Plan South 2013, no allocations/constraints; prior AiP PA14/00818/A established principle.
Environment Policy 42
Requires design in keeping with surroundings; officer found 'victorian villa' aesthetic with traditional finishes acceptable despite mass, but objectors/Committee cited three/four-storey bulk incongruous with two-storey bungalows.
Transport Policy 4
Safe access; Highway Services confirmed sightlines (2.4x47.4m north, 2.4x36.2m south) achievable, traffic not significant.
Recreation Policy 5
Retain public rights of way unless equivalent diversion; officer accepted extinguishment as Bradda Glen Close already connects to Bradda Road, sub-standard junctions.
Welcome nursing home for ageing population; site regeneration from derelict hotel; job creation; need for care facilities
acceptable subject to conditions on sightlines, parking, turning, drop-off, highway extinguishment
no objection subject to tree protection/supervision/planting conditions
no objection; minimal flood risk increase, opportunity to improve gullies
no formal objection; no need for bat/bird survey
Highways and DEFA Biodiversity/Forestry have no objections (with conditions for highways and forestry), while Port Erin Commissioners object due to overdevelopment.
Key concern: overdevelopment of the site
Department of Infrastructure (DOI) Highways Division
Conditional No ObjectionDo not oppose subject to condition (DNOC); The proposals are considered acceptable from a highways aspect
Conditions requested: Prior to development becoming operational, the access shall be constructed and sightlines of 2.4m x 47.4m to the north looking up Bradda Road and 2.4m x 36.2m to the south looking down Bradda Road shall be provided and remain free from obstruction throughout the life of the development; The parking spaces as shown on the approved drawings shall remain free from any unauthorised obstructions throughout the life of the development; The drop off / pick up zone shall be for the sole purposes of ambulances associated with the residents and not used for any staff / visitor parking; The turning area as shown on the approved plan shall remain free of any obstruction. It will not be used for parking of any vehicle unless otherwise approved in writing by the dept; Prior to development becoming operational, the public highway to be extinguished shall be permanently closed off and all associated works to reinstating highway kerbs, surfacing, drainage and street lighting shall be completed to the satisfaction of the dept; Prior to demolition / construction works starting on site, a traffic management plan shall be submitted showing measures by the contractor to avoid mud on the road, contractor vehicle parking and routes for construction and delivery vehicles
DEFA Biodiversity
No ObjectionI don't have adequate suspicion, in my view, to raise an objection or survey requirement; The applicant may wish to survey the building and have greater assurance that no issue may arise
DEFA Forestry
Conditional No ObjectionI have no objection to the tree removal proposed and think that the protection will be adequate if there is some arboricultural supervision during construction
Conditions requested: The protection measures and construction methods detailed in the Tree Survey and Report prepared by Manx Root Tree Management submitted in support of the application shall be adhered to in full, subject to the pre-arranged supervision detailed in the arboricultural method statement, by a suitably qualified and pre-appointed tree specialist. No tree shall be cut down, uprooted, or wilfully destroyed during the development phase and thereafter within 5 years from the completion date, except as shown in drawing TR-30817. This condition may only be fully discharged on completion of the development subject to satisfactory written evidence of contemporaneous supervision and monitoring of the tree protection throughout construction by a suitably qualified and pre-appointed tree specialist; No site clearance, preparatory work or development shall take place until a tree planting specification is submitted to and agreed in writing by the Department. Where applicable the tree planting specification shall adhere to the recommendations of BS8545:2014 (Trees: from nursery to independence in the landscape - recommendations) and in all cases shall include details of all trees to be planted, including a) their quantity, location (or density), species and size at date of planting; b) the approximate date when they are to be planted; and c) how they will be maintained until successfully established. The tree planting shall take place as agreed and any trees or plants (including those retained as part of the development) which within a period of 5 years from the completion of the development die, are removed, or, in the opinion of the Department, become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season with others of similar size and species, unless the Department gives written consent to any variation
Port Erin Commissioners
ObjectionPort Erin Commissioners considered the above application at its meeting on 10th October 2017 and has resolved to raise objections to the application; a smaller more sympathetic design for the site would be more acceptable
The original application for demolition of the existing derelict building and erection of a 72-bedroom care home with parking, access and landscaping was refused by the Planning Committee due to concerns over scale, design, visual impact, overdevelopment, and adverse effects on neighbouring amenity under General Policy 2(b), (c) and (g). The appellant argued the principle was acceptable in the 'Predominantly Residential' zoning, demonstrated need for care facilities, refuted overdevelopment claims with evidence of comparable schemes, and addressed amenity, parking, highway and drainage issues. The inspector found the principle acceptable given zoning and need, visual impact positive due to articulated design, no unacceptable amenity harm with sufficient separation distances, parking adequate with relaxations justified, lane closure outweighed by benefits, and drainage concerns resolved by technical evidence. The appeal was allowed by Hon R Harmer MHK on 26 March 2018, accepting the inspector's recommendation and imposing 11 conditions.
Precedent Value
Demonstrates care homes acceptable in 'Predominantly Residential' zones with demonstrated need; inspector prioritises 20m separation rule over stricter UK variants, accepts parking relaxation near buses, and weighs development benefits over minor highway losses. Future applicants should provide robust technical evidence on drainage, parking accumulation, and visual simulations.
Inspector: Michael Hurley BA DipTP
