20 June 2025
International Business School, The Nunnery, Old Castletown Road, Douglas, Isle Of Man, IM2 1qb
The application sought full planning permission to demolish existing stable, tack and feed store buildings within a walled courtyard at the historic Nunnery estate and replace them with two new two-storey blocks containing eight lettable office units (total gross internal floor area approximately 778m²), plus a new car…
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General Policy 2
Requires development to respect site and surroundings in terms of siting, layout, scale, form, design and landscaping, and not adversely affect character of surrounding landscape. Registered Buildings Officer judged proposal fails GP2 (b) and (c) due to scale/form of buildings, road, car park and pond harming setting of RB312 and historic estate.
Strategic Policy 4
Requires protection/enhancement of setting of Registered Buildings and sites of archaeological interest. Objected to for failing to protect setting of RB312 and archaeological interests without evaluation.
Environment Policy 40
Prohibits development damaging archaeological sites or ancient monuments or their settings. Objected to due to potential irreversible damage to archaeology on priory site without evaluation.
Environment Policy 4
DEFA Biodiversity noted need for pond design plans with treatment (e.g. reedbed) prior to works to avoid impacting adjacent Wildlife Site.
Environment Policy 5
DEFA Biodiversity required conditions for landscaping, bat/bird features, surveys, lighting and tree protection.
No objection subject to condition for secure and covered long-stay cycle parking
Do not oppose (DNO); recommend surface water ponding considered in drainage
No significant negative impact (DNO)
Heritage consultees (Registered Buildings Officer and Manx National Heritage) object due to impacts on registered building settings and archaeological remains; Highways, DEFA Biodiversity, and Flood Risk Management raise no objection or conditional no objection.
Key concern: failure to protect setting of registered building RB 312 and potential irreversible damage to archaeological remains
Registered Buildings Officer
ObjectionWithout an adequate assessment of the potential impact of these proposals, I object to the application on the basis that it has not been demonstrated that the setting of registered building 312 would be protected or preserved.; Given the clear possibility of archaeological significance on all parts of this site, it is remarkable that no archaeological evaluation has been submitted for the site.; I would strongly suggest that the applicant seeks to undertake an archaeological evaluation of the site, as well as liaising with Manx National Heritage, prior to developing any further proposals for any part of the Nunnery Estate.
Conditions requested: archaeological evaluation of the site
Manx National Heritage
ObjectionWe have no choice but to express our strongest misgivings about the proposed development as currently designed.; The submitted application makes no reference to the archaeological evaluation nor the ensuing report.; Having inspected the submitted plans we can see no evidence to show that the scheme has been designed to avoid buried archaeological remains known to extend beyond the limits of the trial trenches.
Manx National Heritage
Conditional No ObjectionWe wish to reiterate that the impact upon these trees can be mitigated by the use of a cellular confinement system, Geocell, in order to form a subbase for the driveway.; We suggest that the pond be moved away from the edge of the tree line to reduce the potential of the tree root systems becoming compromised.
Conditions requested: use of cellular confinement system Geocell for driveway subbase; move pond away from tree line edge; install outfall pipe using trenchless technology such as moling; works outside bird nesting season 1st February to 31st August; incorporate artificial bird nesting boxes and bat boxes into new properties and retained trees under guidance of ecologist
DOI Highways
Conditional No ObjectionThe proposal raises no significant road safety or highway network efficiency issues. Accordingly, Highway Services Development Control raises no objection to the proposal subject to all access arrangements and visibility splays to accord to Drawing No. P-01 and P-06, and the suggested condition for bicycle parking arrangements.
Conditions requested: all access arrangements and visibility splays to accord to Drawing No. P-01 and P-06; Prior to the occupation of the development, secure and covered long-stay cycle parking provision to be submitted and agreed by the Department
DEFA Biodiversity
Conditional No ObjectionIt is therefore important that any discharges to this area do not negatively impact upon the integrity of the site, which highlights the need for treatment of any water prior to it entering the wildlife site, such as via a suitably designed treatment pond, and other appropriate controls.
Conditions requested: No works to commence unless landscaping plans submitted and approved including pond design details, native tree/shrub planting with reedbed or natural treatment, planting in first seasons post-development, replacement of dead/damaged plants; bat and bird bricks installed as per Drawing No. P-03 Rev A and permanently retained/maintained; No works unless preliminary assessments for roosting bats and nesting birds by qualified consultancy submitted with report, findings, additional surveys and mitigation measures approved; No external lighting unless sensitive low level lighting plan per Bat Conservation Trust and Institute of Lighting Professionals Guidance Note 8/23 submitted and approved including avoidance areas, suitable temperatures, timers, PIR sensors; All works in compliance with Manx Roots Tree Protection Plan Drawing No. OTP-120824; pond design plans provided prior to works to comply with Environment Policies 4 & 5
DOIFRM Flood Risk Management
No ObjectionThe proposed area has the potential to suffer from surface water ponding and we recommend that this is taken in to consideration when installing site drainage.
