14 July 2025 · Head of Development Management (Stephen Butler)
7, High Street, Port St. Mary, Isle Of Man, IM9 5dp
The proposal involves changing a long-vacant ground floor retail unit within a 2.5 storey end-terrace building in Port St Mary's Conservation Area to a two-bedroom flat with kitchen, living/dining, bathrooms and dressing room, accessed via a new side door.
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The officer accepted the change of use from retail to residential as the unit had been vacant for approximately 10 years, with declining retail viability due to low footfall, poor parking and surround…
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site/surroundings in siting, scale, design; not adversely affect townscape character, residential amenity, highway safety or Conservation Area. Officer assessed proposal compliant as designs uniform and traditional, rear elements not publicly visible, no amenity/highway harm in town centre.
Environment Policy 35
Permits only development preserving/enhancing Conservation Area character, protecting special features. Officer found shopfront infill, window replacements and slate re-roofing create positive uniform contribution; rear extensions traditional and screened, per s.18(4) Town and Country Planning Act.
Housing Policy 17
Permits building conversions to flats in residential areas with adequate amenity space, outlook and parking if practical. Officer noted acceptable internal layout, pleasant outlook via new windows, town centre exempts on-site parking need.
Community Policy 3
Permits loss of local shops if no longer commercially viable. Officer accepted 10-year vacancy, area decline and residential dominance demonstrate unviability without full financial proof.
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.
Materials approval
The development shall be completed in accordance with the materials as indicated on the approved drawings. Reason: In the interests of the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area.
Rooflights
The rooflights hereby permitted shall be flush fitting and of a conservation style only. Reason: In the interests of preserving the character and appearance of the building and Conservation Area.
Home office use
The home office hereby approved shall only be used by persons who are residing in one of the residential units on the site. Reason: for the avoidance of doubt and to ensure that the development is used in accordance with the approved details.
No objection
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, subject to cycle storage shown on the approved plan being conditioned and retained
