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By Emma Draper - Local Democracy Reporter

The development of the old marine laboratory building in Port Erin has been approved, but there are a number of conditions.

 

A total of 49 have been attached to the planning approval which would see apartments, an apart-hotel, a restaurant, retail and exhibition space added to the building.

 

The number of parking spaces would also be increased to 160.

 

Conditions to the approval of the development include not building over the approved height, to maintain the ‘character, appearance and the visual amenity of the area and the Raad Ny Foillan’.

 

Another condition states the apart-hotels should have a maximum stay length of 28 days and there should be a system for keeping a log of bookings and ‘a means by which the department can check the register to ensure that the maximum permitted stays are enforced’.

 

It also stipulates that the apart-hotels can only be let from April to September.

 

One of the latter conditions is that the development cannot be occupied or brought into use ‘unless the bat boxes and bird boxes have been installed/constructed’.

 

Port Erin Village Commissioners supported the application in their February and May 2021 board meetings.

 

In the planning officers report it states that “The exhibition space would accommodate various displays and information based upon the time of the year. For example, during major motor racing events on the Island, the focus would be on motorbikes. When maritime events occur the focus would switch.

 

“At other times of the year, for example when basking sharks are likely to appear in the bay the Manx Wildlife Trust or others would be encouraged to display relevant material”.

 

It goes to say that “local heritage or exhibitions by local artists or craft displays could be more regular themes that would be encouraged to take space. The applicants note that the exhibition space can be used in part in relation to marine based activities.”

 

The former Port Erin Marine Laboratory was sold to Delagatie for £500,000 in August 2018.

 

The buildings have been empty since the marine laboratory was closed by Liverpool University in 2006.

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