30 June 2025 · Delegated
1, St. Ninians Road, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 4bb
Permission was granted for the erection of a detached garden office and home gym at 1 St Ninians Road, Douglas, Isle of Man. The property is a two-storey end-terraced house on the west side of St Ninians Road, opposite Nobles Park, with a reasonably large rear garden backing onto Laureston Grove. The key planning issues considered were the principle of the development, its effect on the character and appearance of the area, the impact on the living conditions of nearby occupiers, and highway safety in relation to parking. Officers concluded the proposal was acceptable on all these points. The application was approved on 30 June 2025 under delegated powers, subject to four conditions.
The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture approved the application on 30 June 2025. Officers considered the principle of the development acceptable and found it would not harm the character of the area, the living conditions of nearby occupiers, or highway safety in relation to parking.
Strategic Policies
protection of local character and the environment
Strategic Policies
protection of local character and the environment
General Policy
respect the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping
General Policy
not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape
General Policy
not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality
General Policy
Strategic Plan
supports offices for working from home where this would not result in staff being employed, day to day callers or detriment to the residential area
Business Policy
requires new office space to be located within town and village centres
proach to Plan making ..................................................................... 1 The Role of the Area Plan for the East ................................................................ 7 Spatial Vision in the East ................................................................................. 13 Landscape Character and Appearance............................................................... 17 The Natural Environment ................................................................................. 34 The Urban Environment ................................................................................... 48 Transport and Utilities ..................................................................................... 57 Employment ................................................................................................... 71 Town Centres ................................................................................................. 81 Tourism ......................................................................................................... 90 Open Space and Recreation, Education, Health and other Community Facilities .... 95 Residential ................................................................................................... 101 Comprehensive Treatment Areas .................................................................... 127 Appendices Appendix 1 Additional background information on Employment Land 134 Appendix 2 Recommendations set out in the Retail Study 2009 138 Appendix 3 Extracts from the Draft Area Plan for the East 'Household Size and Population Projections Paper DP EP5 (June 2019) An 'Area' approach to Plan making What is an Area Plan? The Cabinet Office has a responsibility, afforded to it by Section 2 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999, to prepare the Island Development Plan (IDP). The purpose of the IDP is to set out the general 'Policies' in respect of the development and other use of land on the Isle of Man , and also to identify the 'Proposals' which relate to specific places or issues , depending on the particular plan area. The two types of plan prepared and which make up the 'Island Development Plan' are: • a strategic plan, and • one or more area plans. The Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016 (the Strategic Plan ) was approved by Tynwald on 15th March 2016, coming into operation on 1st April 2016. In hierarchical terms, the strategic plan sits above the area plans in the sense that the proposal in an area plan shall be in general conformity with the strategic plan. The implementation of Policy set out in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan This Area Plan for the East elaborates on the broad policies set out in the Isle of Man Strategic Plan relating them to precise areas of land. The Plan's final form has been shaped by the Report of the Public Inquiry published on 6th December 2019 and the representations received on the proposed Modifications published on 14th February 2020. The Area Plan for the East is made up of a Written Statement (this document) and a series of Maps. The Written Statement contains 'Proposals' which are either site s pecific, relatable to a specific issue in the East or on occasion in the form of a policy statement for a specific area. A number of 'Recommendations' are also included. These are statements of intent where the Cabinet Office has no direct control over i mplementation. They are intended to act as encouragement to other Departments or bodies to work together with the support of Cabinet Office to take action on or to deliver on particular matters or policy statements. How many Area Plans will there be? It is the intention to produce a limited number of Area Plans. There is already an Area Plan for the South which covers Castletown, Port Erin, Port St Mary, Rushen, Arbory, and Malew. The Area Plan for the East will be followed by an Area Plan for the North and West. Current legislation allows an area plan to relate to the whole of the Island or to such part as may be specified therein. It is the aim to produce, in time, a single 'All-Island Area Plan' alongside one Strategic Plan. These Plans would be capable of being reviewed or updated in tandem. The geographical coverage of the area plans thought most likely at the time of the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2007 1 was identified in the Island Spatial Strategy (Chapter 5) of th at document which was subsequently carried forward to the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016. The extent of the Plan boundaries set out in the first iteration of the Strategic Plan, is set out below: Area Plan Coverage Area Plan Local Authority Area Douglas and the East Borough of Douglas, the district of Onchan and the Parishes of Braddan, Garff (Laxey and Lonan Wards only), Marown and Santon The South Parishes of Rushen, Arbory and Malew, Villages of Port Erin and Port St Mary and the town of Castletown Peel and the West Peel, and the Parishes of Patrick, German, and Michael Rams
Condition 1
1. The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Condition 2
2. The building hereby approved shall be finished in the materials specified on Drawing No. APL 105 Rev 1. Reason: In the interest of the character and appearance of the surrounding area.
Condition 3
3. There shall be no more than four business-related visits to the building hereby approved each week and these shall be on a one-to-one basis and last for no more than one hour. Reason: To minimise pressure on parking in the interest of road safety and to preserve the residential character of the area.
Condition 4
4. Business-related visits to the building hereby approved shall be by appointment only and shall be held between the hours of 8am and 8pm. These meetings shall take place inside the building. Reason: To minimise noise and disturbance in the interest of nearby residential occupiers.
