A plan for ground floor retail units also to be used as residential in Castletown’s Callow’s Yard was refused by planners and an appeal has been lodged against the decision by the applicant.

The proposal (17/00330/B) is for retail units at 17 and 18 Malew Street.

Originally the town commissioners opposed an earlier plan (16/01371/B) with the same request.

But when this later plan was submitted the authority changed their mind and gave it their support.

After discussion with the planning department, retail expert Martin Sewell and Callow’s Yard developer Roy Tilleard, the authority agreed supporting the plan would shorten the retail street and make the commercial area therefore more vibrant.

However planners refused the plan and said it would ’reduce the extent of commercial floorspace available within the town and as such would dilute the interest and range of commercial operations therein’.

Planners also said that the units ’would provide inadequate privacy and amenity space’ for the occupiers.

They did express ’considerable sympathy with the applicant’s position of having a number of vacant premises within the complex which he would prefer to be occupied rather than vacant’.

But planners added that having the units as residential, ’will have a significant and adverse impact on the attractiveness and vitality of Castletown as a place for people to shop and visit.’

At a recent meeting the authority reiterated its support for the plan.

Previously commissioners’ chairman Colin Leather has said: ’The advice was we are never going to fill all the shops given the trend in retail. It’s happening everywhere. Because of the internet, there’s a revolution in how people carry out their lives.’