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25/91195
1.1 The site is a sizeable area located on the south eastern side of Baldhoon Road to the east of Laxey Village. The site accommodates a dwelling - Highfield - and also a boarding cattery. The site slopes generally downwards from north to south.
1.2 The cattery is accommodated in a detached building which sits lower down and to the south east of the dwelling.
1.3 Access in to the cattery building is from the north western side of the building through a pedestrian door and into a corridor which runs along this part of the inside of the building. The building is built from uPVC panels with a wider roof which overhangs the front, rear and sides of the building as may be seen above.
1.4 To the north east of the main cattery building there is a wooden enclosure which was constructed shortly after the establishment of the cattery in 2015 (see below).
1.5 This building is physically separate from the cattery building see right).
1.6 Access into the site is directly from Baldhoon Road via a paved driveway which continues around the dwelling towards the lowest end of the site where there is vehicular turning and parking space.
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett Company Registration 134325C
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1.7 There are large Douglas fir trees on both sides of the existing cattery buildings. One is higher and the other slightly lower:
1.8 The current cattery is very well used and the applicants are struggling to meet demand due to increasing numbers of individuals wishing to have their cats accommodated and recent closures of existing boarding catteries in the north of the Island. The applicants are in regular contact with the Government Veterinary Officers who have been consulted prior to the submission of this application and who are in support of the proposal.
2.1 Proposed is an extension to the existing cattery building, on the same level and to the north east of the existing building, attached to it.
2.2 The additional floor area will be just under 8m in length and the same depth as the existing building and the same height but without the overhang which the existing building has.
2.3 The new extension will accommodate 4 pens with access corridor and both sleeping and exercise facilities for each unit. One pen will have a solid wall within the building separating it from the other pens and with separate external access.
2.4 The building will be constructed in uPVC as is the existing with reinforced glazing and a solid, insulated roof finished in insulated olive green sheeting. As with the existing, the building is sound proof and the windows are double glazed with uPVC shutters.
2.5 The facility will continue to operate on an appointment only basis with only one client arriving and departing at any one time and on a pre arranged basis. The same provisions will remain for the disposal of waste. The building will sit on a new concrete base where the existing timber structure currently sits. The development will not involve any excavation and only a slight increase in the floor area available for the accommodation of cats on the site.
3.1 The site lies within an area designated on the Area Plan for the East as Predominantly Residential. There are no constraints shown on the accompanying maps.
3.2 The site lies within the settlement boundary as shown on the proposals map but outside of the urban area on the Landscape Character Assessment areas within which the site is within area D2 - Laxey Incised Slopes. Here, the landscape strategy is as follows:
> “The overall strategy is to conserve and enhance the character, quality and distinctiveness of this area, with its relatively sparse settlement other than the characteristic settlement of Laxey, its distinct smallscale field pattern, its valley bottom woodland along National Glens and the setting of the various historic and archaeological features within the area.”
3.3 Development which is in accordance with the land use zoning (although arguably should be applicable to any development) is expected to accord with the general standards set out in General Policy 2 as follows:
Development which is in accordance with the land-use zoning and proposals in the appropriate Area Plan and with other policies of this Strategic Plan will normally be permitted, provided that the development:
(a) is in accordance with the design brief in the Area Plan where there is such a brief;
(b) respects the site and surroundings in terms of the siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping of buildings and the spaces around them;
(c) does not affect adversely the character of the surrounding landscape or townscape; (d) does not adversely affect the protected wildlife or locally important habitats on the site or adjacent land, including water courses; (e) does not affect adversely public views of the sea; (f) incorporates where possible existing topography and landscape features, particularly trees and sod banks;
Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy Ltd Registered address: Ballachrink Croft, Ballacorey Road, Bride, Isle of Man IM7 4AW t: 07624 485517 e: [email protected] w: www.sarahcorlett.com Directors: Sarah Elizabeth Corlett Nicola Jane Corlett Company Registration 134325C
(g) does not affect adversely the amenity of local residents or the character of the locality; (h) provides satisfactory amenity standards in itself, including where appropriate safe and convenient access for all highway users, together with adequate parking, servicing and manoeuvring space; (i) does not have an unacceptable effect on road safety or traffic flows on the local highways; (j) can be provided with all necessary services; (k) does not prejudice the use or development of adjoining land in accordance with the appropriate Area Plan; (l) is not on contaminated land or subject to unreasonable risk of erosion or flooding; (m) takes account of community and personal safety and security in the design of buildings and the spaces around them; and (n) is designed having due regard to best practice in reducing energy consumption.
3.3 Additional Strategic Plan policies provide protection from pollution of adjacent properties in terms of, in her alia, noise, noise or light pollution (Environment Policy 22).
3.4 The site sits close to the boundary of the Laxey Conservation Area - the western boundary running down the eastern boundary of the application site. As such, Environment Policy 36 is relevant which states that "Where development is proposed outside of, but close to, the boundary of a Conservation Area, this will only be permitted where it will not detrimentally affect important views into and out of the Conservation Area."
3.5 Development is expected to make sufficient provision for the parking of vehicles which would be generated by a proposed new use or structure and have no adverse impact on highway safety (Transport Policies 4 and 7).
4.1 The site has planning approval for the operation of a cattery. Planning approval had originally been refused (05/92114/B) on grounds of potential noise nuisance and parking issues. Permission was then sought and granted for the creation of the cattery here under 14/01013/B. Whilst in the previous case there had been a number of objections, in this later application, there was none.
4.2 The second, successful application had demonstrated that the proposed cattery would not generate unacceptable levels of noise, noting that the cattery would not accept unneutered tom cats or unsprayed queens, confirmed by correspondence from the Government Veterinary Officer.
4.3 The visual impact of the proposed cattery building was considered acceptable, the offer noting that the proposal would not be a prominent feature from either Stone Road or Baldhoon Road and would not affect important views in or out of the adjacent Conservation Area.
4.4 The planning officer also considered that the provision for car parking was acceptable and adequate for the cattery business which runs by appointment only with a minimum 15 minute gap between appointments.
4.5 Conditions were applied to the approval which required the cattery be operated only by the applicants (who are the same as with this current application) and whilst they are resident at the application site. Also, the cattery shall only be open to visitors/customers between the hours of 0900hrs to 1100hrs and 1500hrs to 1700hrs Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesday Thursdays and Fridays and 1300hrs to 1500hrs on Saturdays. No visitors/customers may visit the premises outside of these hours or on Sundays or Bank or Public Holidays in the interests of public amenity.
5.1 Proposed is the erection of additional boarding cattery facilities on the site. Four new units will be provided with an additional one capable of being an isolation unit. The new building will continue the general form and appearance of the existing cattery structure and like the existing will have a limited visual impact from the surrounding area, as noted by the planning officer who recommended that that application be permitted.
5.2 Whilst the proposal will general additional capacity at the site, the existing arrangement of one client coming and going from the site at a time will result in a similar impact on highway safety and no need for additional parking on site, although there is available space for more than one client to attend, park and manoeuvre at any one time.
5.3 The impact from potential noise nuisance, smell and disturbance was found to be acceptable in the previous application and we would submit that what is proposed will not significantly change that. As noted previously, the building is well insulated and sound proofed and the applicants are not aware of any existing issues with the neighbourhood of the cattery.
5.4 Catteries are often located within residential areas or close to other existing properties, such as Aristocat Hotel in Douglas and Ballagale near Port St. Mary which is adjacent to other residential property. As explained by the Government Veterinary Officer in the last application:
Cats are generally fairly quiet animals. Currently licensed catteries do not accept entire (un-neutered) tomcats. They can be noisy, un-predictable, certainly have strong tomcat smell, and would be prone to escape. The current applicants desire not to house entire tomcats is therefore consistent with other cattery policy.
Similarly, entire female cats present problems in that "calling" is evident when in season, they try to escape to mate, and attract stray tomcats to the cattery area. Again cattery owners want only sprayed females as residents.
The current applicants have therefore, like other establishments, produced a policy to turn away un-neutered cats of both sexes.
General noise from boarded cats will range from minimal to non-existent. Only at feeding time do cats seem to mew: and the insulation of the units would prevent such noise travelling far: even if the louvre windows are open.
Waste removal: modern cat litters can be biodegradable, and absorb litter tray contents well. Current catteries dispose of waste by two main routes: on site incineration (wood based cat litter) or bagged and disposed via the Local Authority.
Current catteries have no issue with a route for disposal. Catteries feed dry and wet (tinned/pouched) commercial food: raw food is not fed. This would produce very little waste food; and is no more noxious than normal household food waste.
Good Management: Current catteries do not open to the public "24/7". Typical times are 10am - 12 noon and 5-6pm daily on weekdays, with reduced access at weekends. Cats are delivered and collected by appointment in many: this makes workload sense for the cattery proprietor, saves congestion in the reception area, and reduces vehicle numbers. I would expect the current applicants to follow similar protocol.
If the cattery changed ownership or was sub contracted, DEFA Vet would require re-inspection and a new licence issue: if both facilities and applicant were acceptable.
5.5 We are not aware that any of these conclusions have changed and would submit that there is no reason to think that the proposed additional cattery pens will give rise to additional or new issues in respect of noise, smell or other nuisance. As the applicants reside at the premises, closer to the existing and proposed catteries than any of the neighbours, and they have their own cats, it would not be in their interests to operate a cattery where there were issues of noise, smell or other disturbance.
5.6 The proposed facility will provide much needed additional cattery space in the north of the Island without any adverse environmental impact, echoing the positive conclusions reached in the case of the previous application and for these reasons we would hope that this proposal is viewed positively and in accordance with General Policy 2, Environment Policies 22 and 26 and Transport Policies 4 and 7.
Sarah Corlett 16th December, 2025
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