TOP Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has lost his legal battle in the long-running dispute over public access to path on the Langness peninsula.
In a court judgment, Deemster David Doyle ruled that allowing public rights of way on paths bordering Mr Clarkson and his Manx wife Frances’ lighthouse cottages holiday home did not breach their human rights.
The couple had appealed against the Department of Infrastructure being granted leave to amend the definitive map to include the footpaths deemed as public rights of way by planning inspector Roy Hickey following a public inquiry.
Mr and Mrs Clarkson argued that allowing a footpath to run so close to their kitchen window was incompatible with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Five other landowners also argued concerns over wildlife conservation, trespass and criminal damage.
But Deemster Dyole held that on balancing the conventions, rights and freedoms of the defendants, and the rights of the public to use lawfully established public rights of way, the balance came down firmly in favour of the rights and freedoms of the public.
He said the use of the paths by the public must be lawful and reasonable.
And he said there was no legal requirement to grant the Clarksons any compensation.
The judgment comes as a major victory for access rights campaigners PROWL who had protested against the Clarksons re-routing a short stretch of the coastal footpath to protect their privacy.