7 April 2025 · Head of Development Management (Stephen Butler)
Restaurant, Ainsdale, 2, Empire Terrace, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 4le
The site is a mid-terrace, 4-storey building currently operating as a HMO for up to 16 people in 15 rooms, excluding a separate ground floor flat used for staff and other purposes. The proposal involved internal reconfiguration of the ground floor to create two bedrooms with ensuites, integrating them into the HMO and …
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The officer assessed the proposal against Housing Policy 17(b), which requires conversions to flats to provide a clear outlook, adequate amenity space, and car parking where practical.
General Policy 2
General Policy 2 (b,c,g) covers general development considerations including amenity and living standards. The officer found the proposal contrary as the internal bedrooms lack outlook, light, and ventilation, failing to provide acceptable living accommodation.
Housing Policy 17
Housing Policy 17 governs conversions of buildings into flats, requiring under (b) a clear outlook, adequate amenity space, and car parking where practical. The two proposed ground floor bedrooms are internal rear rooms with no windows possible in a mid-terrace, failing the outlook and amenity tests significantly.
Environment Policy 35
Environment Policy 35 addresses development within Conservation Areas. The officer noted no detrimental impact on the Douglas Promenades Conservation Area as works are internal only.
Do not object
Highway Services HDC stated no interest in application 25/90131/C, while Douglas City Council raised concerns about the proposed ground floor flat lacking registration records, adequate outlook, natural light, and ventilation, recommending further investigation by planning and building control.
Key concern: rooms do not have an outlook and have a very limited amount of natural light and ventilation
Highway Services HDC
No ObjectionHighway Services HDC has no interest (NHI) in: ... 25/90131/C
Douglas City Council
Conditional No ObjectionThe Council has previously sent in a comment of no objection on the above application however some new information has been brought to our attention; Unfortunately, we have no records of any ground floor flat registered at the property; the rooms do not have an outlook and have a very limited amount of natural light and ventilation; I would strongly recommend that the applicant contacts either DEFA’s Environmental Health Division or one Douglas City Council’s Building Control officers; the issue of outlook is clearly one for the planning department to investigate further
