9 July 2018 · Planning Committee
Field 320653, Main Road, Crosby, Isle Of Man, IM4 2ee
The proposal sought approval of detailed matters for a single-storey rectangular retail building (30.8m x 15.5m, 477 sqm gross floor area, internally divided into two retail units of 91 sqm and 276 sqm plus ancillary space) with associated concrete service yard, 33 parking spaces, and materials including Manx stonework…
Click a button above to find applications similar to this one.
See how this application compares to similar ones — policies, conditions, and outcomes side by side.
The Planning Committee refused the application contrary to the officer's recommendation, prioritising local impacts over the officer's policy-based assessment.
Strategic Policy 4
Requires development in villages like Crosby to maintain settlement character and be appropriate scale for local housing/employment needs. Committee found building size/height out of keeping with rural nature, contrary to this; officer considered compliant as neighbourhood facility serving local needs.
new retail provision at a scale appropriate. Major retail development proposals to be supported by Retail Impact Assessment
Major retail (>500 sqm external floorspace) requires Retail Impact Assessment; supports retail in existing areas at appropriate scale without adverse effects. Officer noted 477 sqm below threshold so no RIA needed; objectors claimed near-threshold scale harms town centres.
Business Policy 10
Retail permitted in town/village centres except neighbourhood shops in large residential areas (normally <100 sqm). Officer accepted larger scale justified to serve Crosby/Glen Vine and passing traffic despite exceeding 100 sqm guidance; Committee/Parish saw as over-scale supermarket.
Community Policy 1
Requires neighbourhood centres (small shops/post office etc.) in new/expanded residential areas where relevant/appropriate. Officer viewed proposal as complementary facility enhancing sustainability.
Community Policy 2
New community facilities to serve local population, accessible to non-car users, reuse vacant buildings where possible. Officer noted site suits local/foot access, provides employment.
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site/surroundings in siting/layout/scale/design/landscaping, not adversely affect character/amenity/highway safety/parking. Officer found compliant with mitigations; Committee cited traffic/amenity and character harms.
Transport Policy 7
Requires parking per Department standards. Officer/Highways confirmed 33 spaces (1 per 15 sqm) adequate.
Environment Policy 7
Protects watercourses/streams. Condition proposed for stream works method statement to avoid fish/disturbance.
welcome addition providing cohesiveness, needed as current shopping requires car/bus/delivery
most needed, must be passed
badly needed for non-drivers, nearest shops too far requiring taxi
benefits whole village, currently drive-through settlement
in favour
desperate need post housing development, benefits elderly/children
no objection subject to conditions on access, parking, visibility splays
Highways requests deferral due to multiple parking, access, and design deficiencies requiring amendments; Marown Parish Commissioners maintain strong objection to the retail unit design, scale, and potential for future expansion.
Key concern: insufficient parking provision (12 spaces short) and inadequate vehicle access/tracking for service and refuse vehicles
Department of Infrastructure
Conditional No ObjectionHighway services request that the application is deferred to allow the applicant to consider the above. Recommendation: DEFER; There is no highway agreement in place for this site and Kevin has previously advised me that a planning condition is needed for detailed highway design
Conditions requested: planning condition to limit total floor area to 493sqm; combined footway/cycleway properly constructed and surfaced for cycle use; planning condition for detailed highway design on all applications where a new road or site access junction onto the public highway is proposed
Marown Parish Commissioners
ObjectionThe Commissioners resolved to OBJECT on the following grounds; The Commissioners therefore resolved to maintain their objection; In view of the above, the Commissioners trust that the Planning Committee will refuse the Application
Marown Parish Commissioners
ObjectionThere is nothing in the amended plans submitted that even attempts to satisfy the objections raised in the Commissioners' letter of April 19th 2018. The Commissioners therefore resolved to maintain their objection.
Outline planning approval in principle (PA 15/00775/A) was granted on appeal for 28 dwellings and retail space, with reserved matters including design, appearance and layout. A prior reserved matters application (16/01314/REM) for the retail unit was refused due to unauthorised office use and exceeding major retail threshold without Retail Impact Assessment. The current application (18/00339/REM) proposed two shop units totalling ~493m² gross floorspace, which was refused by the Planning Committee on grounds of traffic impact, size, height and rural character incompatibility. Appellant argued the size increase was de minimis, height matched adjacent housing, access/traffic previously approved, and local demand existed. Inspector found size acceptable (under 500m², no RIA needed), visual impact mitigated by location and landscaping, traffic/parking satisfactory; recommended approval with conditions preventing floorspace increase or mergers. Minister accepted recommendation and allowed the appeal on 16 October 2018 subject to 11 conditions.
Precedent Value
Confirms minor variations to outline parameters are permissible in reserved matters if de minimis; retail <500m² exempt from RIA even if exceeding 'neighbourhood shop' size where outline approved larger; conditions essential to prevent internal floorspace creep. Future applicants should prioritise technical drawings (e.g. tracking) and tie designs to prior approvals.
Inspector: Michael Hurley BA DipTP
