Onchan Commissioners have objected to plans to demolish the Groudle Glen Hotel and replace it with five homes.

An application for approval in principle for the new dwellings and ten parking spaces, two per home, is being considered by planners.

The board opposes the plan for a number of reasons.

Members agreed it was over-intensive use of the site, and the parking allocated did not match the Onchan Local Plan’s required three spaces per new home.

It was also noted the island-wide strategic plan encourages redevelopment rather than demolition of existing buildings.

The application for the former pub has been made by Anna Kawalek.

Mrs Kawalek previously had approval (13/00531/A) granted for a similar application but the time limit on that principle approval has now elapsed, that previous application accepted that the building was no longer usable as a pub, hotel or restaurant.

The new houses would comprise of mix number of bedrooms split over four levels and include a lower ground floor, terrace patio on the ground floor and roof terrace, which would all face into Groudle Glen.

Included in the plans are details that the homes would have two parking spaces each, be connected to a shared septic tank and may require the removal of a small number of sycamore trees.

The hotel originated as a building designed by architect Ballie Scott in 1893 and was paid for by Richard Maltby Broadbent, who also paid for and oversaw the planting of Groudle Glen, which was part of his farmland and the construction of the railway.

The pub closed in 1999 and in its last incarnation was a restaurant called ’La Casa’ until the business closed.