Amended plans to redevelop the former Waterfall Hotel at Glen Maye for housing have been submitted to take into account concerns raised by residents and the local authority.

Jim Limited submitted an application in November 2017 to demolish the pub, which closed in 2014, and replace it with four terraced houses.

Concerns raised included both the design of the homes and the loss of the site as a pub and restaurant.

In the latest proposal, it states the amended design ’improves the aesthetics drastically and takes on a more traditional look similar to surrounding cottages. Form, proportion and appearance are improved.’

Changes include using sash style windows and larger rear gardens - at the expense of driveways. Proposals for the homes to have integral garages have also been dropped.

The planning document states: ’The idea behind the driveways and garages was to make sure that the existing car park was not impacted and maximum spaces remained for use by visitors to the national glen.

’However, the public comments have been taken into account and the garages and driveways have been removed.’

Patrick Commissioners were among those to object to the application, saying in December: ’The Commissioners have concerns that, should this application be allowed, it would send out the wrong message to owners of other similar that they might make more money destroying a local amenity and replacing it with residential accommodation than if they worked hard at developing the business.’

Following its March meeting, Patrick Commissioners submitted that the amended design was ’an improvement’ but maintained that the building was ’capable of bringing back into use’.

It added that if they saw ’persuasive evidence’ the business was not viable it would ’likely look less unfavourably’ on a proposal to convert the property to two cottages.

In the latest planning document it states: ’The applicant has tried very hard to make the Waterfall Hotel work and currently has a large sum of money invested in the site, some £200,000 being trading losses over the years.

’The applicant has not just bought the site and instantly proposing to develop.’

It continues: ’The aim from gaining planning permission is to recover the cost the applicant has within the site to enable them to expand other existing operations in the Isle of Man which will increase jobs and overall island economy.’

It includes the accounts for 2013-2015.

The amended plans respond to the Commissioners’ claim about the state of the building, saying: ’Multiple public comments have been made regarding the existing [building] and that it should be renovated and kept.

’To confirm, the existing is in a bad state of decay and this is getting worse.’

It adds the condition of the building was the reason why they ’struggled greatly to get public liability insurance for the building renewed’.

It states: ’No insurance company on the island would insure the building,’ it adds.