Planners have refused an application for a 72-bedroom residential care home in Port Erin.

Spaldrick Care Limited (17/00947/B) applied to demolish Spaldrick House, in Bradda Road, and replace it with a three-storey residential home along with 24 parking and drop-off spaces.

But planners turned down the application saying that ’the proposed building fails to respect the site and surroundings in terms of its siting, layout, scale, form, design and would therefore represent over-development’.

In addition, it said that residents of Bradda Glen Close would be adversely affected by the new views that the development would afford.

Residents from more than 30 neighbouring homes had submitted their comments about the bid, meaning that the decision was made by the government planning committee.

But in the officer’s report presented to the committee it was concluded that the application was ’acceptable - subject to a number of conditions.’

The report did however comment on the level of concern raised, stating: ’It is clear that the development proposal has caused great alarm locally.’

The report continues: ’The building proposed is large in massing, and would represent a notable change from the site’s current appearance.’

Concerns were raised about a wide variety of issues: parking, loss of privacy, the design of the building and the impact of the building on the character and appearance of the area, the impact on tourism/ biodiversity and possible flooding/ drainage issues.

Port Erin Commissioners discussed the proposal and had objected to it, saying that it would be ’an overdevelopment of the site’.