Directors Neighbour Response Statement

Dear Neighbours

Thank you very much for your time to read the project in detail and give your valuable suggestions/ feedback. Your feedback is of utmost importance, and we will do our best to address them. I have tried to contact all of my neighbours personally most of them I managed to contact but some of them I couldn’t, please accept my apologies for that. I have requested all the neighbours to give their comments as my intention is to take precious suggestions from my neighbours and take their concerns in consideration. This project has been planned very carefully considering ecology of this beautiful region and keeping neighbour’s comfort in mind. I have taken advise from the experts for this project. The idea is to develop unique accommodations-where guests can feel and reconnect to unique Manx nature-with minimum impact on the environment and keeping the carbon footprints to a minimum. The proposal in this project is to have 3 uniquely designed pods. These accommodation pods will be around 6-12 meters away from fence and they will be sitting at lower level than millennium way road so guests won’t be overlooking any properties around. We will reinforce the fence further by planting suitable native trees/shrubs, it will improve the privacy further for the guests, neighbours and walkers. Rear window in pods will be made of blurred glass to provide further privacy. This is environment-oriented project, so mostly nature loving guests would be coming to enjoy the peace and serenity of the place. I would avoid giving place to larger groups. I would definitely not allow any outdoor party, noise or any activity which disturbs the neighbours or ecology of the place. I will be monitoring everything closely as my house is in same premises. Whole grassland will be cordoned off to protect unique ecology of the field, it means there will be no place for gathering. This project is in dark sky zone and stargazing is one of the prime features of the project and to protect the ecosystem of the region there will be minimal lighting on the property as advised by experts/guidelines. I would like to invite all my neighbours to visit the property so I can show around

and discuss the project once again in detail. Once first unit is ready, I will invite next door neighbours to stay in property so they can see/ experience as a guest and will be able to provide me feedback for further enhancements. After reading all the feedback carefully, we thought of below solutions. Please have a look and let me know your valuable suggestions. I understand there is a concern about Size and occupancy of the project: After careful consideration we have reduced the number of pods from 5 to 3, maximum occupancy of these will be 12 if full. We have reduced the parking spaces too on the side lane and taken extra steps for the safety of users of millennium way and guests. I can understand that worry is that this number is big and might make noise and it will increase traffic. I can assure that we will implement measures to reduce the impact, I will explain those measures in this letter.

• 1) Possible noise produced by guests: there will be no place of outdoor gathering in the field as whole grassland will be cordoned off as advised by ecological appraisal. There will only be walking paths to walk around. There will be house rules stating no outdoor parties, no loud music, no outdoor music/ noise after 9pm, no littering and many others. I will send you a copy once I have prepared them. Guests will need to agree with house rules prior to booking is confirmed. Any guests don’t adhere to house rules and harm the peace and ecology of the region will be asked to leave. I will take some deposits from the guests prior to every booking, it won’t be refunded if house rules are not being followed. I will avoid giving place to large groups. I am looking for a noise monitor device to install on the premises. I will speak to the provider to make these pods soundproof as much as possible. Targeted marketing for mainly nature loving/ environment conscious guests (families, couples), walkers, cyclists. I will be staying in the same premises for constant monitoring. I have 3 young kids; I won’t allow any antisocial behaviour on the property.
• 2) Increased traffic: We will take measures to discourage guests to come by car. We will offer generous discounts to guests not coming by car. Provide taxi service

• to guests (picked up and drop off), I am hoping guests would prefer chauffeur service over driving themselves. There will be Parking charges for side lane parking (5 pounds for stay), I will donate profit collected from parking to local council to restoration of village ( maintenance of side road etc) I am planning donate further 1% for the environment. I will work closely with the council. provision of cycle hires for guests. And we have reduced the number of parking spaces to 4 in side lane parking to reduce the traffic on that road. We have plans to install safety mirror for cars coming out parking, to ensure of safety of the pedestrian and cars on millennium way.
• 3) Light pollution: As this property is in dark sky zone and star gazing will be one of main feature of the site, there won’t many bright lights on the site to facilitate better star gazing experience. A lighting consultant has prepared the lighting plan for whole project.
• 4) Considering neighbours: This project has carefully planned, we have considered most of their suggestions, I will invite next door neighbours to stay and give further feedback and suggestions.
• 5) Birds viewers point to spot the birds: there were some concerns about bird's viewer point with a telescope. I was thinking to make a bird's spotting point behind the trees in the right corner of the hill with fixed telescope (not rotating) which could watch only lower end of valley nowhere else. But if that’s causes any concern, I won’t do it.
• 6) The visual impact on the character and appearance of the area: This development is in quite valley, and it’s not seen from West Baldwin Road, so it won’t have any visual impacts from outside. Pods will be at lower level than millennium way, so they won’t see as much from there too. Fence will be strengthened with further plantation of native shrubs and bushes.
• 7) Overlooking into neighbouring property across the road: as the pods are lying much lower level than property across the road, there won’t be any overlooking. These pods will be facing the valley and there will be only one

• window at the back which too made of blurred glass. These pods are designed for complete privacy for the guests too, there will be shields on each side of pods so guests from other pods won’t be able to see each other too. After reviewing next door neighbours concerns we have removed 2 pods which were seen from the neighbours windows. Rest 3 pods will be placed where is the less visibility from neighbouring property. We will be planting native bushes and shrubs on the boundary to enhance this privacy further.
• 8) Possible littering by the guests: I will be installing bins across the site. I have contacted recycling services for waste management. This project will be attracting environmentally friendly guests so I am hoping they will be sensitive about the issue anyway.
• 9) Application was denied for Barn reuse: I am not aware of any application made to change the use of Barn. And we are not redeveloping barn.
• 10)How will I select guests: Targeted marketing for environmentally friendly guests. Publish house rules on website and guests to agree prior to booking, no refund of deposit of if not adhere to the policy.
• 11)Negative impact on wildlife: this is environmentally friendly project. I have taken the help from the experts/ consultants and they have prepared ecological survey, bird survey, waste water management plan, environmental policy/ plan, lighting plan, tree plantation plan etc these documents are available to read online. We got tree and shrub management plan prepared by island based ecological consultant to guide planting new tree and shrubs in coming future. There are few unique plants and birds in the valley, we have made a plan to protect those species. Plan is to install birds' nest with webcam to show live streaming, we will be organising wildflower/ birds spotting booklets younger guest.
• 12)Article 8 of European convention of human rights- respect for private and family life: This project is planned carefully keeping neighbours' privacy in mind. Please see point number 7 in this list.

• 13)Small single track side lane/ visibility splay: As described in point 3, we will do everything to reduce the traffic on the side lane. We have achieved the visibility splay as per the guidelines.
• 14) No mobile reception in area: It is true that mobile signals are weak in the region. Plan is to provide intercom phone in every unit which will be connected to landline phone in Bridge House, plus there will be WiFi provided in every unit, guests will be able to contact on what’s app or other internet based communication apps. I have found a mobile reception booster, I will explore the possibilities to install it in the property for better mobile connectivity.
• 15)Inconvenience during construction: The Providor I have spoken to, advised that these units are prebuild and will assembled only at site, so this procedure shouldn’t take long. Anyway, there is regular traffic with heavy vehicles in the village storage site across the river and regular traffic of large tractors.
• 16)Ardwhallan site next to the property: Shinrin Yoku is a back to nature retreat it is completely different project.
• 17)Road closure during sports events: Road access is limited for particular timing during these events such as car/ bike/ cycle rally passing through West Baldwin. Guests will be informed about road closure timings. Bridge house is in perfect position to watch these great events, guests will be able to enjoy these events with better view. Actually, every year public gather in front of bridge house to watch these events, last year I invited group of men from Ireland standing outside to come in boundary of bridge house to enjoy the event.
• 18)Taxi service to guests is not practically possible: I have spoken to an island based taxi company to provide these services, they have agreed to it. This taxi

• company got big fleet of cars including hybrid, electric and wheelchair accessible cars. In addition, we will explore the possibility of hiring an onsite driver to pick up and drop off guests in company car, it will generate employment and reduce the number of cars in the village. I will look for electric vehicle to reduce impact on environment.
• 19)Advertising and signposting will impact visual surroundings negatively: I won’t be putting any signboard or advertisement in village, there will signpost on the Bridge House only to guide guests. I will provide Google maps on business website to guide guests and all the marketing and advertising will be done online only.
• 20)Project is too large for the village: After careful consideration of neighbours' concerns, we have decided to reduce the number of pods to 3 and put them in less visible areas only to reduce the visual impact further of the project from Millennium way. Maximum capacity of the project will be 12 guest if full. I was told by travel agencies generally maximum occupancy is around 65% on an average.
• 21) Staff will be using car park and village road: Business will hire one domestic staff. And this staff will stay in Bridge house only and won’t be putting any extra burden on car park or traffic. And I will be doing various works related to site/ business too.
• 22)These pods could become permanent structures: I can assure that I have no intention to make these pods permanent structures in future and I do not think it’s possible due to nature of the land.
• 23)Parking is too big: After careful consideration we have reduce the capacity of sidelane parking to 4.
• 24) Area where the pods are planned seen from next door neighbours window (pics were attached by the neighbour in their comments): We have reduced the number of pods to 3 and these pods will be placed on the right side of the upper field (behind the bushes and tree). On this side of the field there is no visibility towards neighbour's window due to bushes and there is only one

• window in neighbours house which is too at considerable height.
• 25)No streetlight: There is already one streetlight right at where this side lane merges in West Baldwin Road. There is reflective road sign at the entrance of sidelane too.
• 26)Refuse collector unable to use side lanes either side of Bridge house to collect bins: Bin storage site is next to garage of Bridge House and can be collected from there.
• 27)Water pollution: I have taken help from the experts in the field. We had Multi disciplinary meeting including environmental protection officer, DEFA, fisheries. We are going to follow all the guidelines and policies to protect the ecology of the place. Document has been submitted.
• 28)How is tourist use monitored/ how can be established if pods and dormitory not being used for longer stays/ what if business is not as successful as hoped: My plan is build in stages, I will start with one pod. If business is not successful then I won’t be able build other pods. This one pod will be used by me for personal use and occasional guests only if business is not successful. Units will be only for short stays.
• 29) Other similar projects got planning approved as they had existing tourist offering: after speaking to few Manx residents I got to know that Bridge House was quite popular among tourists in the past. Existing barn was actually a workshop where massive model railway was operated, and it was open for tourists. It was owned then by a gentleman who opened this workshop for tourists/ public. I am looking for documented proof for this. Even now on multiple occasions I have noticed walkers to entered the bridge house premises and visited the barn and informed me about that model railway. Some walkers find this side of the property beautiful and they visit inside without realising it’s private property. Recently there was a news

posted on facebook about Shinrin Yoku planning application and there was a comment by local resident about this model railway. I got a book call Baldwin my Valley, according to that book this whole region was quite popular amongst the tourists, Next door property was a pub in the past. Tourists used to come in horse carts in the region.

Recently I was contacted by a gentleman from England, He informed me that his uncle build Bridge House in 1930s and he has memory attached to this house as they used to come here every summer. He has shared multiple pictures and news paper cuttings from that time. He informed me that Bridge House had beautiful garden which was visited by local residents and news reporters.

• 30) Technical issues like flooding/ environmental impact/ pollution/ local ecosystem: I have taken help from consultants and experts from various fields and their statements and suggestions have been submitted to the planning office.
• 31) No Public Transport: As west Baldwin residents would agree that our village/ region is very popular among walkers, everyday (more on weekends) groups of walkers can be spotted in the region. I see every weekend multiple cars parked on the side of the road in village by walkers to start journey from here and millenium way walkers passes by as Bridge house is right on millenium way. I am sure some of these walkers would stay overnight to continue their walking in the morning. The idea is to make this project a place to go for these environmentally conscious tourists. Initially we are thinking to provide taxi or company car service but I would like this project to become that popular amongst walkers/ cyclists, so place is mostly booked by them only.
• 32) Why children play area is required: Natural playgrounds for younger guests to increase environmental awareness among them, there will other activities for younger guests including spotting the birds/ flowers/ plants. This will provide opportunity to them to reconnect with nature.

• 33) 2 story pods: Pods are not 2 story, there is a little loft in the pods to have better indoor stargazing experience as there will glass ceiling on that side of the pod (towards the valley with no next-door property view).
• 34) Side-lane is in Poor condition to use: I will donate revenue generated from sidelane parking profits for the welfare of this side-lane and village. I will work closely with council/govt authorities.

Thank you very much for your attention, please let me know if I have missed any point.

Kind Regards Ram 12/09/2024