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Application No.: 25/90635/C Applicant: Robert And Rosa Philips Proposal: Change of use from tea rooms to residential (retrospective) Site Address: Former Lezayre Tea Rooms Sycamore House Glen Duff Isle Of Man IM7 2AT Planning Officer: Paul Visigah Photo Taken: 01.09.2025 Site Visit: 01.09.2025 Expected Decision Level: Officer Delegation Recommended Decision: Permitted Date of Recommendation: 16.09.2025 _________________________________________________________________
C : Conditions for approval N : Notes attached to conditions
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.
Reason: To prevent the creation of a separate planning unit and to ensure the development remains compatible with the surrounding area.
Reason: To ensure the protection of existing trees in accordance with the approved plans, in the interest of visual amenity and the landscape character of the area.
shall be erected or altered within the extension to the curtilage of the dwelling hereby approved without the prior written approval of the Department.
Reason: To retain control over future development in the interests of visual amenity and to prevent intensification of use in a countryside location.
The proposed change of use of the former tea room to residential accommodation is considered to comply with the provisions of the Strategic Plan. The development does not involve new built form, subdivision, or intensification, and does not rely on exceptional countryside development provisions. It aligns with the spatial containment objectives of Strategic Policy 2 and Spatial Policy 5, supports the sustainability aims of Strategic Policy 1 through the efficient reuse of existing built fabric, and satisfies the general development criteria under General Policy 2, particularly in relation to site context, infrastructure use, and amenity. While the extension is redundant for its previous commercial use, the proposal does not fall to be assessed under Housing Policy 11, as the building is not a standalone rural structure, nor does the proposal involve physical works or a change of use that would materially affect the building's character or landscape setting. The development preserves the character of the locality and does not result in any adverse impacts on neighbouring amenity.
Plans/Drawings/Information; This decision relates to the following documents and plans:
_________________________________________________________________ Right to Appeal
It is recommended that the following organisations should NOT be given the Right to Appeal:
1.0 THE SITE - 1.1 The application site comprises the former Lezayre Tea Rooms, a single-storey extension physically attached to Sycamore House, Glen Duff, Ramsey. The Tea Rooms were added at a later date and are not present on historic maps, which shows only the original cottage. Architecturally, the extension is non-traditional, featuring timber cladding and large glazed openings. Its flat roofed finish contrasts with the host building, yet its siting within the curtilage makes it visually prominent. - 1.2 Sycamore House is a traditional two-storey cottage with a white-rendered exterior, offset chimney, and vertically aligned, modestly proportioned windows. These features are broadly consistent with vernacular cottages. However, the presence of metal roofing and timber panelling on the eastern gable introduces contemporary detailing not typical of historic Manx cottages. The cottage is the original built form on the site, as evidenced by its presence on 1860s mapping.
1.3 The site lies on the northern side of Lezayre Road. Its eastern boundary is situated immediately west of the single-lane access road leading to Glen Duff House, which lies further north. Laurel Mount House, Glen Duff, is located directly south of the site's exit. The surrounding area is semi-rural in character, with mature vegetation and dispersed residential plots. - 1.4 The site is relatively level and lies slightly below the level of Lezayre Road to the south. The western, eastern and southern boundaries of Sycamore House are screened by a combination of walls and mature trees, limiting visibility from public vantage points. However, distant views of the site are possible from Glen Duff House across the intervening fields.
2.0 THE PROPOSAL - 2.1 The application seeks retrospective planning permission for the change of use of the Team Rooms/take-away to residential. The application seeks a pure change of use only with no works proposed. - 2.2 The application is supported by plans which show that the current original layout which supported two large team rooms, kitchen, Cold preparation area, WC's and Office, is to be changed to a living room, two bedrooms, and a large kitchen with the toilets retained. - 2.3 The applicant states that the area outlined in red has not operated as a 'tea room' since the onset of COVID restrictions in March 2020, though it was used intermittently on several weekends for take-away purposes before closing completely. They further confirm that the tea room areas have since been used solely as part of a domestic dwelling, and that the entire property has been rated as residential for the past four years. - 2.4 Rainwater run-off and foul sewage from the proposed development will be disposed of via existing systems. The site benefits from access to ten parking spaces, and no changes are proposed to the existing vehicular access arrangements.
3.0 PLANNING POLICY - 3.1 Site Specific:
4.1 RESIDENTIAL DESIGN GUIDE (2021) This document provides advice on the design of new houses and extensions to existing property as well as how to assess the impact of such development on the living conditions of those in adjacent residential properties and sustainable methods of construction. - 5.0 PLANNING HISTORY
5.1 The application site has been the subject of the following planning applications, which are material to the consideration of the current proposal:
Planning approval in principle was granted on appeal for the erection of a two-storey dwelling to the rear of the Lezayre Tea Rooms, intended to replace the residential accommodation within the café. The Inspector accepted the principle of residential use on the site but found the proposed dwelling (253 sqm) to be overly dominant and out of scale with the original cottage, particularly within the Area of High Landscape Value and Scenic Significance. Approval was therefore subject to conditions limiting the dwelling's floorspace to 150 sqm, requiring a ridge height no greater than the existing cottage, and ensuring integration with the existing building group. The dwelling was also to remain ancillary to the café use. The approved scheme was, however, not implemented.
The application sought approval for the erection of a dwelling and a replacement shed within the curtilage of Lezayre Tea Rooms. Although the application was not submitted as reserved matters, significant weight was given to the earlier approval in principle granted on appeal under PA 02/01048/A. It was considered that the proposed dwelling complied with the size, height, and design conditions imposed by that approval. The condition relating to the occupation of the dwelling was recommended to be retained. The replacement shed was considered unobjectionable due to its similarity to the existing structure. The application was also not implemented.
The application sought a Certificate of Lawfulness for the use of an extension, known as The Bungalow, as a separate dwelling from Sycamore House. The applicant submitted documentary evidence including title deeds, rate demands, utility bills, correspondence, and a photographic survey. It was concluded that, on the balance of probabilities, the building had been used continuously as a separate, self-contained dwelling for a period exceeding ten years. The application was approved and a Certificate of Lawfulness was issued.
The application proposed the demolition of Sycamore House, The Bungalow, and associated commercial buildings (including the former Café Rosa), and their replacement with two traditionally designed dwellings. The existing buildings were considered to be of poor form and visually intrusive, particularly due to flat-roofed extensions, signage, and hardstanding visible from the public highway. Although the proposed dwellings represented a 118% increase in floor area over the combined existing buildings, the development was considered acceptable under Housing Policy 14 due to the improved design, reduced visual impact, and lower finished floor levels. The dwellings were to be sited further from the highway and set into the sloping ground, with substantial landscaping proposed to soften their appearance. The application was approved as a comprehensive redevelopment of the site. This was not implemented.
The application sought permission to demolish the existing building known as The Bungalow and construct a new dwelling on adjacent land to the west. The proposal formed part of a phased implementation of extant approval PA 09/02062/B, which required both existing dwellings on the site to be demolished prior to redevelopment. This application allowed for the construction of one replacement dwelling at a time. The submitted plans showed the new dwelling occupying a separate plot (Plot 1), with associated landscaping and tree planting. The siting and design of the proposed dwelling matched that previously approved. The application was approved subject to conditions consistent with the earlier permission.
improved materials. The application was approved on the basis that it would result in no greater visual impact than the previously approved scheme.
6.0 REPRESENTATIONS Copies of representations received can be viewed on the Government's website. This report contains summaries only.
6.1 DOI Highways find the proposal to have no significant negative impact upon highway safety, network functionality and/or parking as the proposed use would have a similar or less parking and access demand to the existing site use(30 June 2025).
6.2 Lezayre Commissioners - No objection unanimous (10 July 2025). - 6.3 DEFA Forestry has reviewed the application and confirmed that no registered trees are affected. While there are notable trees within the red line boundary, the development is unlikely to impact them. As such, they have no objections to the proposal in its current form, but request that a standard tree retention condition be applied if the application is approved (11 July 2025). - 6.4 No representations have been received from members of the public.
7.1 The fundamental issues to consider in the assessment of this application are:
7.2 It is judged that there would be no impact on parking and highway safety as there would be no changes to the vehicular access o the site. The site also has provision for 10 parking spaces which exceeds the parking requirements for residential properties stipulated in the Strategic plan. - 7.3 In terms of potential impacts on trees, the scheme does not propose any physical works to the building or site area, and as such, no direct impacts on trees within the site are anticipated. However, in light of the comments received from DEFA Forestry, it is considered necessary to include a standard tree retention condition to ensure that existing trees are appropriately protected throughout the development process. - 7.4 PRINCIPLE OF DEVELOPMENT (Strategic Policies 1 & 2, Spatial Policy 5, General Policies 2 & 3, Housing Policy 11)
7.5 IMPACT ON THE CHARACTER OF THE SITE AND LOCALITY (General Policy 2; Strategic Policy 3; Strategic Policy 4; Strategic Policy 5; Environment Policy 2)
7.6 IMPACT ON NEIGHBOURING AMENITY (General Policy 2 and the Residential Design Guide 2021)
8.1 The proposed change of use of the former tea room to residential accommodation is considered acceptable when assessed against the Strategic Plan as a whole. The development does not involve new built form, subdivision, or intensification, and does not rely on exceptional countryside development provisions. It aligns with the spatial containment objectives of Strategic Policy 2 and Spatial Policy 5, supports the sustainability aims of Strategic Policy 1 through the efficient reuse of existing built fabric, and satisfies the general development criteria under General Policy 2, particularly in relation to site context, infrastructure use, and amenity. The absence of physical works ensures that the proposal preserves the character of the site and its wider landscape setting, including its location within an Area of High Landscape or Coastal Value and Scenic Significance, in accordance with Strategic Policies 3, 4, and 5 and Environment Policy 2. Furthermore, the development does not result in any adverse impacts on neighbouring amenity, with adequate separation, screening, and site layout mitigating potential effects. On balance, the proposal is considered to comply with the Strategic Plan and is therefore acceptable. - 9.0 RIGHT TO APPEAL AND RIGHT TO GIVE EVIDENCE
9.1 The Town and Country Planning (Development Procedure) Order 2019 sets out the process for determining planning applications (including appeals). It sets out a Right to Appeal (i.e. to submit an appeal against a planning decision) and a Right to Give Evidence at Appeals (i.e. to participate in an appeal if one is submitted).
9.2 Article A10 sets out that the right to appeal is available to:
9.3 Article 8(2)(a) requires that in determining an application, the Department must decide who has a right to appeal, in accordance with the criteria set out in article A10. - 9.4 The Order automatically affords the Right to Give Evidence to the following (no determination is required):
9.5 The Department of Environment Food and Agriculture is responsible for the determination of planning applications. As a result, where officers within the Department make comments in a professional capacity they cannot be given the Right to Appeal.
I can confirm that this decision has been made by a Principal Planner in accordance with the authority afforded to that Officer by the appropriate DEFA Delegation and that in making this decision the Officer has agreed the recommendation in relation to who should be afforded interested person status and/or rights to appeal.
Decision Made : Permitted Date: 17.09.2025 Determining Officer Signed : J SINGLETON Jason Singleton Principal Planner
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