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By Emma Draper - Local Democracy Reporter

Six residents on the Meadowfield Road in Port Erin are calling for a reduction in their rates due to a building development.

 

They’ve brought their case to the Rates and Rents Tribunal at Douglas Courthouse.

 

At a tribunal hearing, on Thursday, 1 December, chair Fiona Kniveton was told by two of the residents that the field opposite them was

being used for ‘storage’ and vehicles driving down the road are leaving ‘dirt and dust’.

 

A residential home is being built on nearby Bradda Road which was given planning approval at an appeal in 2018.

 

Port Erin Commissioners offered residents living on adjacent  Bradda Court a reduction of 15 per cent in their rates due to the disruption they would face from the work.

 

However the residents on Meadowfield Road were only given a 10 per cent reduction with representatives from Treasury saying that ‘would be sufficient’.

 

A Treasury spokesperson, giving evidence at the tribunal, stated that everyone on the road was eligible for the discount but not everyone had applied.

 

The tribunal panel established that the field being used for storage was not included in the original planning application and the residents were unaware that they would be disrupted due to this.

 

Mrs Kniveton told residents: “The big issue here is that it seems this is a planning issue. From what I can see the enforcement officer should be down there now.

 

“I’m concerned about the future and what’s going to happen on this piece of land.

 

“Obviously we don’t control planning and I do have a large amount of sympathy for you.”

 

When asked by a panellist what was in the field beforehand, the residents replied ‘cows’.

 

The aggrieved parties also claimed that the field being used as storage is rented by the farmer.

 

The tribunal panel will now make a decision on whether the residents are due a further discount and will contact them in due course.

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