25 February 2026 · Committee
Post Office, The North Laurels, Main Road, Crosby, Isle Of Man, IM4 4bn
The application sought to absorb a former post office building — physically attached to the main dwelling — into the house as additional living space, while also allowing its use as a small tourist accommodation unit. New patio doors were proposed on the end gable facing the garden. The key planning issues were the tourist use's implications for parking and highway safety, and the site's flood risk context. With two spaces allocated to the main dwelling, at least one remains available for tourist visitors. The tourist unit is single-bedroom and small in scale, so demand is limited. The former post office door onto the main road is to be closed up internally, removing a previous unrestricted public access point.
The Planning Committee approved the application because the size and scale of the works, and their close connection to the main dwelling, meant no harmful visual or amenity impact. Off-road parking provision was sufficient to meet minimum standards without creating new highway safety concerns, and flood risk was not considered worse than the existing situation. Conditions were attached to keep parking available for the tourist use and to regulate the tourist letting.
General Policy 2
Environment Policy 23
impact on neighbouring amenity changes
Environment Policy 23: When considering alterations and improvements to existing facilities the Department will require that consideration be given to the potential adverse impact of the proposed changes to existing neighbours. 7.18 Environmental Impact Assessment(1) 7.18.1 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an important procedure for ensuring that the likely effects of new development on the environment are fully understood and taken into account before the development is allowed to go ahead. It is a process by which information about the likely environmental effects of certain types of development is collected, assessed and taken into account by the developer (as part of project design) and by the planning authority (in determining the acceptability of the application). In cases w here developments are likely to have significant environmental effects, whether public or private, by virtue of their nature, size or location, EIA's will be required and the general principles set out in Appendix 5 should be followed. 7.18.2 For some types of development, EIA's will be required in every case, whilst other development will only require an EIA if the particular project is judged likely to give rise to significant environmental effects. Where development does not fall wit hin these categories, (1) Environmental Impact Assessment is defined in Appendix 1 but still has a significant effect on the environment, the Department will require suitable supporting environmental information. The main criteria for judging significance are as follows: i. major developments which are of more than local importance; ii. developments which are proposed in particularly environmentally sensitive or vulnerable locations; iii. developments with unusually complex and potentially hazardous environmental effects. 7.18.3 A Planning Policy Statement will be issue d specifying the manner in which the Department intends to deal with applications which should be subject to EIA. Pending the adoption of the proposed Planning Policy Statement the Department will adopt current practice on EIA's from England and Wales set out in the publication "Environmental Impact Assessment: A Guide to Procedures" (1).
Environment Policy 42
promotes development taking account of locality in design
pment. 8.13.2 The extent of formal open space with in settlement boundaries in the South is identified on the Proposals Map (Map 3) and Inset Maps (Maps 4-7). The Isle of Man Strategic Plan (Environment Policy 42) seeks to protect these open spaces and indicates that: 8.13.3 "Inappropriate backland development, and the removal of open or green spaces which contribute to the visual amenity and sense of place of a partic ular area will not be permitted.''
Condition 1
The development hereby approved shall be begun before the expiration of four years from the date of this decision notice.
Condition 2
The additional tourist accommodation use hereby approved shall not be occupied by the same person(s) for a single period or cumulative periods exceeding 28 days in any calendar year.
Condition 3
The four parking spaces as shown on drawing number 10 shall be retained free from obstruction and available for parking for the site (as outlined in red on that plan) at all times.
Condition 4
The annexe hereby approved for use as either additional living accommodation or additional tourist use shall remain connected to the main house known as 'The North Laurels' as shown on drawing no. 1 and the site shall at all times remain as a single planning unit (site as outlined in red on drawing number 2). The annexe shall not be sold, rented nor used as a separate independent dwelling at any time.
