Plans for a 72-bedroom residential care home at Spaldrick House in Port Erin have been approved at appeal.

Port Erin Commissioners had objected to the proposal, saying it represented ’over-intensive use of the site’ along with a total of 28 individuals, couples and families.

Planners originally turned down the bid saying ’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 the development would afford.

But now, the application has been approved at appeal. DEFA Minister Geoffrey Boot delegated responsibility to Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer to determine the appeal.

Mr Harmer followed the planning inspector’s recommendation that the appeal be allowed and the department’s original refusal be reversed.

In his report, planning inspector Michael Hurley said neighbouring residents had voiced their concerns about loss of privacy and noise.

But Mr Hurley concluded: ’The proposed development would not have so severe an impact on amenity as to justify the refusal of planning approval.’

Meanwhile, residents had described the development as an ’unremitting, three-storey wall of building’ that would be ’not unlike the Byker Wall in Newcastle’.

But Mr Hurley said he thought it would make a ’positive contribution to the townscape of this part of Port Erin’.

Concern was raised about localised flooding.

Manx Utilities said the issue was probably attributable to defective road drainage rather than a lack of capacity in the culvert that would receive surface water drainage from the proposed development.

Objections were raised to the loss of a lane, a public highway, that runs through the site. ’It seems to me that the modest benefits of retaining this highway would probably be outweighed by the social and economic advantages that would be secured,’ Mr Hurley said.

Residents had explained it was used as an alternative means of access to Bradda Glen Close.

Concerns about adequacy of on-site parking provision were also dismissed, with Mr Hurley saying the site’s proximity to a number of bus routes and unused kerbside parking meant the full parking standard could be relaxed.

The proposal provides 24 off-street parking spaces with drop-off areas.

The application (17/00947/B) was approved with a number of conditions.

They include an external lighting scheme and staff travel plan be submitted and approved by planners before the building is occupied.

Spaldrick Care Limited had said with an ageing population there was a ’clear need’ for the home.

The development is expcted to provide at least 60 full-time jobs. Construction is expected to cost £5m and take 12 to 14 months.