Long-awaited plans for the redevelopment of the former marine laboratory in Port Erin have provoked one objection.

A bid (19/00373/A by Delgatie Ltd) has been submitted for approval in principle for a major mixed use development of a 14-suite hotel, 73 flats, a restaurant/bar and exhibition centre plus parking for 159 cars.

John Pennington, of Fairway Close, Port Erin, wrote he would welcome ’appropriate sensitive rejuvenation’ but the proposal is too large and too high.

He wrote the plan doubles the length of the frontage of the existing buildings. The proposal shows a ground floor plus five further floors suggesting that the top of the buildings ’would be at the same level as the top of the cliff rock face at the rear.’

The previous plan would have extended the existing two story stone buildings and added one floor to the eastern brick building. No increase in frontage was proposed.

Grounds for refusal included the building would be ’overly dominant and intrusive in visual terms to the detriment of the architectural and historic interest of the original Marine Biological station building and also to the detriment of the general character and appearance of the existing group of buildings and of the area.’

He asked: ’How can the proposed long frontage of six storey buildings be less detrimental to the general character and appearance of the area? Is it necessary or desirable to demolish the buildings of "architectural and historic interest"?’

He is also concerned about traffic generation and pedestrian safety while the works take place.

He added: ’The true scale of the proposed development is not readily apparent due to the absence of clear drawings showing the building in site context. Nevertheless, it can be seen that it would be totally out of scale in this sensitive out of village prominent coastal location.’

The local authority will consider the plan at its meeting on May 14.