Six residents on Meadowfield Road in Port Erin are calling for a reduction in their rates because of a building development.

At a tribunal hearing in Douglas courthouse on Thursday, chair Felicity Kniveton was told by two of the residents that the field opposite them was being used for ‘storage’ and vehicles driving down the road are leaving ‘dirt and dust’.

A residential home is being built on nearby Bradda Road which was given planning approval at an appeal in 2018.

Port Erin Commissioners offered residents living on adjacent Bradda Court a reduction of 15% in their rates due to the disruption they would face from the work.

However, the residents on Meadowfield Road were only given a 10% reduction with representatives from Treasury saying that ‘would be sufficient’.

A Treasury spokesperson, giving evidence at the tribunal, stated that everyone on the road was eligible for the discount but not everyone had applied.

The tribunal panel established that the field being used for storage was not included in the original planning application and the residents were unaware that they would be disrupted due to this.

Mrs Kniveton told residents: ‘The big issue here is that it seems this is a planning issue. From what I can see the enforcement officer should be down there now. I’m concerned about the future and what’s going to happen on this piece of land.

‘Obviously we don’t control planning and I do have a large amount of sympathy for you.’

The field was previously used for cattle, according to the residents. They also claimed that the field being used as storage is rented by the farmer.

The tribunal panel will now make a decision on whether the residents are due a further discount and will contact them in due course.