16 September 2022 · Delegated - Principal Planner (Chris Balmer)
North Baldrine House, Baldhoon Road, Laxey, Isle Of Man, IM4 7ng
The proposal involves a small timber summerhouse (5m x 3m x 2.6m high) erected in 2018 within the rear garden of North Baldrine House, a two-storey detached dwelling in the Laxey Conservation Area.
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The officer determined the proposal acceptable in principle under General Policy 2 and Business Policy 13, as the small-scale summerhouse suits the rear garden without adverse amenity impacts, integra…
General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site/surroundings in siting, scale, design; not adversely affect amenity, character, or highway safety; and provide adequate parking. Officer assessed the summerhouse's scale, timber design, and screened location as compliant, with no amenity or highway issues.
Business Policy 13
Presumes support for additional tourist use of private residential properties if no neighbour amenity compromise. Found acceptable due to no objections, distance to neighbours (31.4m), existing guest use, and indistinguishability of tourist activity in busy area.
Strategic Policy 8
Referenced in decision reason; officer linked to tourism expansion without detailed assessment, but overall scheme supported visitor economy goals.
Environment Policy 35
Protects Conservation Area character and appearance. Summerhouse position avoids impacts, blends with trees; tourism income aids dwelling maintenance, preserving broader area.
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.
Restrict occupancy to incidental residential or tourist use
The structure, hereby approved, shall not be occupied at any time other than for purposes incidental to the residential use of the existing dwelling on the application site otherwise known as 'North Baldrine House', Baldhoon Road, Laxey, and/or as tourist accommodation. No approval is granted for any other use. Reason: To ensure proper control of the development and to avoid any future undesirable fragmentation of the curtilage.
Retain internal layout, no kitchen or subdivisions
The internal layout shall remain as shown on the submitted Drawing No.050/101, date stamped as having been received 20 May 2020. No kitchen facilities shall be installed in the building and no additional internal walls shall be erected to further subdivide the internal space of the building. Reason: To ensure proper control of the development and to avoid any future undesirable fragmentation of the curtilage.
Tourist use only, occupier register required
The holiday/tourist accommodation hereby approved shall be used solely as temporary holiday letting accommodation and for no other purposes whatsoever including use as permanent residential unit without the prior express grant of planning permission by the Department. The unit shall not be occupied as a person's sole or main residence and the owner of the holiday/tourist accommodation shall maintain an up-to-date register of the name of each occupier of the holiday/tourist accommodation on the site, their length of stay and their main home address and shall make this information available at all reasonable times to the Department. Reason: The occupation of the holiday/tourist accommodation as an independent permanent residential unit would not comply with the Strategic Plan policies regarding residential development in this area.
Do not oppose
No objection
Highway Services Division and Garff Commissioners both raised no objections to application 22/00661/C, with Highways suggesting consideration of bicycle parking and EV charging points.
Highway Services Division
No ObjectionAfter reviewing this Application, Highway Services HDC finds it to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and /or parking.; The Applicant should consider installing bicycle parking and electric vehicle charging points to aid net zero objectives.; Highways Development Control notes the amended description notified on 17 August 2022 and continues to not oppose this proposal as per the HDC response dated 1 June 2022.
Garff Commissioners
No Objection22/00661/C - North Baldrine House Baldhoon Road Laxey. Additional use of summerhouse as tourist living accommodation. There were no objections to these proposals.
Garff Commissioners
No ObjectionThe Board had submitted no objection to the initial proposals. The amendment to the description of the application was noted. No objection.
