15 October 2025 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Chris Balmer)
The Gardeners Cottage, West Baldwin Road, Mount Rule, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM4 4hs
The proposal seeks permission for the additional use of an existing attached two-storey cottage as tourist accommodation without any external alterations, extensions, or structural changes. The site is in open countryside, not zoned for development, with two parking spaces provided at the rear and access via existing s…
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Officers assessed that the additional tourist use of the existing cottage would not cause demonstrable harm, as its impact on neighbours would be similar to current residential use, with no increase i…
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect residential amenity. Officer assessed that tourist use would have similar impacts to residential occupancy with no intensification, thus no adverse amenity effects.
Business Policy 13
Supports tourist accommodation in residential properties if neighbour amenities not compromised. Key policy tipping approval, as no harm demonstrated despite rural location.
Strategic Policy 8
Addresses acceptability of tourist development without adverse area effects. Cited as supporting the proposal in countryside.
Environment Policy 16
General environmental standards. Applied to confirm no countryside harm from reuse of existing building.
Environmental Policy 22
Environmental protection. No issues identified for rural site.
Business Policy 11
Business development standards. Supports diversification via existing buildings.
Transport Policy 7
Requires adequate parking per Appendix 7. Two spaces confirmed sufficient for two-bedroom unit, with Highway Services no objection.
Housing Policy 15
Housing standards. Supports additional residential-related uses.
Housing Policy 16
Housing in countryside. Allows compatible uses.
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.
No significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the proposed use would have a similar or less parking demand to the existing use.
No Objection.
Mount Rule Farm objects strongly to the application due to legal restrictions on access rights, restrictive covenants prohibiting business use, and impacts on highway safety, residential amenity, and rural character.
Key concern: breach of restrictive covenant prohibiting business use and limited private access rights
Mount Rule Farm
ObjectionWe write to object in the strongest possible terms to the above application.; The deed expressly prohibits 'any trade or business of any kind' on the properties, save for agriculture.; Planning permission cannot override or create rights that do not lawfully exist.; The proposed intensification of use therefore raises serious highway safety concerns.; We respectfully request that Planning Application 25/90792/C be refused.
