4 August 2025 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Chris Balmer)
Cooil Shellagh, Douglas Road, Kirk Michael, Isle Of Man, IM6 1au
The site is a stone barn, previously converted into four units (two currently tourist lets and two offices), located in the countryside near Kirk Michael as part of a small group of buildings including the main dwelling Cooil Shellagh.
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The officer assessed the main issues as the principle of dual office/tourist use in the countryside, effect on character and appearance, residential amenity, and highway safety.
Strategic Policy 1
Encourages the use of under-used buildings. The officer noted the tax business has moved, making offices redundant, so dual use reactivates under-used space without new development.
Strategic Policy 8
Permits tourist development using existing built fabric of interest and quality, without adversely affecting environmental, agricultural, or highway interests. The stone barn is high-quality existing fabric; no adverse impacts identified.
General Policy 2
Permits development respecting site/surroundings in siting, scale, design; not adversely affecting landscape character, amenity, or providing safe access/parking. Proposal meets criteria (b), (c), (g), (h) with no changes, no harm to landscape/amenity, ample parking.
General Policy 3
Restricts development outside zoned areas except for conversion of redundant rural buildings of value or previously developed land. Site qualifies as previously developed with redundant building history.
Environment Policy 2
Landscape character is key in Areas of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance. No physical changes ensure no new impact.
Environment Policy 3
Seeks to protect woodland. Approach is Area of Private Woodland but proposal has no impact.
Business Policy 7
Requires new office space in town/village centres on zoned land. Existing office use is established from 2013 permission; dual use accepted as not 'new' floorspace.
Business Policy 12
Supports tourism in countryside/rural areas subject to protecting character/appearance. Met due to existing building, no changes.
Business Policy 14
Supports tourism in countryside/rural areas subject to criteria protecting character/appearance. Met due to existing building, no changes.
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 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 and to avoid the accumulation of unimplemented planning approvals.
Office use restriction
The office accommodation hereby approved shall only be used as such by the occupant(s) of the main dwelling Cooil Shellagh and by staff employed by the occupant(s) of Cooil Shellagh in association with the approved office use. Reason: To protect the living conditions of the occupants of the main dwelling and to ensure that any future changes in circumstance can be properly assessed.
Letting restriction
The tourist accommodation hereby approved shall only be let by occupant(s) of the main dwelling Cooil Shellagh or by agents employed by occupant(s) of Cooil Shellagh who let them with the agreement of the occupant(s). Reason: To protect the living conditions of the occupants of the main dwelling.
Tourist letting season and duration
The tourist accommodation hereby approved must be available for letting to bona fide tourists only from Easter to 1st October each year and must be let solely on a short term basis with no individual tenancy within that period exceeding four consecutive weeks in duration. Reason: To ensure that the development is only used and occupied as short-let holiday accommodation during the holiday season and to prevent the creation of an unjustified separate dwelling in the countryside. Note: For the remaining months of the year the length of tenancy may exceed four weeks and the units may be occupied by non-tourists.
