Erection of a dormer style dwelling with integral garage

Refusal Reasons

• ✗The site is not designated for development on the adopted land use plan, the Isle of Man Planning Scheme (Development Plan) Order 1982. As such there must be particular circumstances which justify setting aside this policy in order for this application to be approved. The applicants' desire to live in this area and the availability of mains services are, in themselves, neither unique nor sufficient to either justify setting aside the Department's well-established policies against development in such areas or to distinguish this application from the many others for development in undesignated areas.
• ✗The site is in a location which is considered to be unsustainable: that is where there are no local services or amenities which would enable the occupants of the new property to be other than reliant upon the private car for such amenities and services. Whilst the New Castletown Road and the public transport accessible therefrom, is less than a mile away, the road connecting the site has no pavements and has limited forward visibility for drivers of vehicles using the road. As such it is most unlikely that future occupants of the new property would use public transport and particularly not in times of inclement weather. As such the development would fail to support the Department's aim towards sustainable development as set out in the emerging Strategic Plan. Note: whilst the applicants have made reference to the proposal in the draft Strategic Plan which suggests that infill development may be acceptable where there are groups of at least six existing dwellings, this proposal was not accepted by the Inspector reporting on the Plan (his paragraph 8.118).