Plans for a pizza takeaway on an estate in the south of the island have been refused by the planning committee despite an officer’s recommendation to approve it.

Residents at Reayrt Mie in Ballasalla objected to Dandara’s plans to open the fast food outlet in a unit in the neighbourhood centre amid concerns over noise, smell and parking issues.

The matter went before the island’s planning committee last month when members decided to pause the application (25/91052/B) pending a site visit.

That site visit has since taken place and, at this week’s meeting, members narrowly voted to refuse the application.

Completed in July 2023, the neighbourhood centre on Cringle Close comprises three shop units and a children’s nursery.

But while the nursery is operational and one of the shop units is occupied by Costcutter, the other two shop units have remained vacant despite being marketed since November 2022.

Dandara proposes that the pizza takeaway would open seven days a week from 11am to 11.30pm.

The business would have 10 to 12 employees on duty at any one time, who would be a mix of shop staff and delivery drivers.

A letter had been sent in from Costcutter, which has a store next door to the unit, supporting the application and stating the new pizza takeaway would ‘benefit the area’ and ‘stimulate economic growth with jobs for young people’.

However, one woman spoke at the meeting on behalf of her godson, who lives above the unit.

She pointed out the unit has planning approval to be either a retail unit or a café or restaurant, but not as a takeaway.

She said: ‘This is my godson’s first home and he was fully aware the unit below would become a shop or restaurant, but not a takeaway.

‘There are very few parking spaces, and this is a small cul-de-sac. Customers and delivery drivers will be coming in and out. There are also issues of noise and smell.’

She argued there were other commercial units nearby which would be better suited for a takeaway.

Dandara planning director David Humphrey also spoke at the meeting.

He said the unit had been on the market since 2022 but had yet to be filled. He argued residents would have been aware of the commercial units’ use and this was only a minor change to make it a takeaway.

But planning committee members were concerned about the proposal.

Matthew Warren said: ‘I do not see a net gain for the community.’

He said using the unit as a takeaway had never been discussed with residents.

Chairman Rob Callister MHK also felt the change of class to a takeaway was a significant issue which residents had been unaware of.

The application had been recommended for approval by senior planning officer Jason Singleton, but the committee refused it by three votes to two, with one abstention.

The refusal was on the grounds that the unit has not been given class 1.4 for a food takeaway and that the proposal would result in unacceptable harm to the neighbourhood due to noise, smell and disturbance.