28 August 2025 · Planning Committee
Glenlough Farm, Ballahutchin Hill, Union Mills, Isle Of Man, IM4 4at
The site is a detached house in the countryside with a modern two-storey detached garage (approx. 45 sqm total, 30 sqm first floor with kitchenette and shower) approved in 2021 strictly for incidental use to the main house. The application proposed changing the first floor to self-catering tourist accommodation.
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The Planning Committee overturned the officer's refusal recommendation, stating: 'Despite policies setting out the criteria for converting rural buildings to create tourist units and those against dev…
General Policy 3
Requires redundant rural buildings of architectural, historic, or social value for countryside exceptions. Officer found garage not redundant nor valuable, failing (b); committee overruled due to small scale and conditions despite policy breach.
Environment Policy 16
Sets criteria for repurposing rural buildings to tourist use: must be redundant, intact, minimal alterations, no traffic harm. Officer noted non-redundancy but other criteria met; committee accepted limited harm from small scale.
Housing Policy 11
Strict conditions for rural building conversions to dwellings: redundant, of interest, intact. Applied due to residential nature of tourist use; officer found failure on redundancy/value; committee prioritised ancillary nature.
Strategic Policy 2 - Priority for new development to identified towns and villages
Presumption against new countryside development; officer cited as breached by new habitable unit risk; committee overruled on limited harm basis.
Strategic Policy 8
Protects countryside; referenced in officer refusal and committee reasoning as policy tension outweighed by scale and strategy.
Spatial Policy 5
Development only in settlements unless GP3 exceptions; site in countryside, no exception met per officer.
General Policy 2
Design, amenity, highway, services requirements; officer confirmed compliance on character, neighbours, highways, parking.
Business Policy 11
Tourist development must protect countryside, apply ENV16; linked to failure chain but committee saw tourism benefits.
Business Policy 12
Conversion of redundant rural buildings to tourist use; echoes ENV16/HP11 requirements.
Business Policy 14
Quality countryside accommodation complies with GP3/BP11/12; tied to principal policy failures.
Time limit
The tourist accommodation and use hereby approved shall not be occupied by the same person(s) for a single period or cumulative periods exceeding 28 days in any three month. Reason: To ensure that the development is used an occupied solely as short-term tourist holiday accommodation.
Time limit for commencement
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.
Tourist use only, connected to main house
The tourist development hereby approved shall remain connected to the main house known as "Ballahutchin House" and shall only be used for tourist purpose in line with C3 and shall not be sold rented or used as a separate independent dwelling at any time. Reason: To ensure that the development is only used in connection to the main house and to prevent the creation of an unjustified separated dwelling in the countryside.
no objection
no opposition; no significant negative impact on highway safety, network functionality, and/or parking
Isle of Man Fire & Rescue Service has no objection to the proposed additional use of living space above the detached garage as tourist accommodation, subject to specific fire safety requirements to comply with the Fire Precautions Act 1975 and related regulations.
Key concern: kitchen areas are not situated near escape routes and not to be used as a room for sleeping
Isle of Man Fire & Rescue Service
Conditional No ObjectionI would have no objection to the scheme as proposed.; this department strongly recommends that kitchen areas are not situated near escape routes and not to be used as a room for sleeping.
Conditions requested: 60-minute fire separation is required from the garage to 1st floor; The entrance door to the garage and under stair storage is required to be FD30 standard; The glazing on the 'Front/North Elevation' is required to provide a minimum of 30 minutes fire resistance; The stair construction must afford 30 minutes fire resistance; In any room containing cooking facilities, laundry facilities and/or a boiler, a heat detector is required that is linked to other detectors in the premises; The living area would require a smoke detector linked to other detectors in the premises; this should be situated at the furthest point to the kitchen and in accordance with manufacturer instructions; The garage would require a heat detector linked to other detectors in the premises; The under-stair storage would require a smoke detector linked to other detectors in the premises; Fire blankets are required in all kitchen areas; Notice Signs; 'In case of Fire' and 'warning' notice detailing prohibited items needs to be displayed in every occupancy (Schedule 4, Forms 1 & 2)
