Plans to expand Crosby estate deferred as planning officer changes recommendation

Dispute over boundary line delays hopes for 18 new homes

Plans to extend a housing estate in Crosby by an additional 18 properties have been deferred by the Planning Committee.

It's because the case officer is revising his recommendation from approval (subject to legal agreement) to one of refusal.

The decision to change opinion on the recommendation comes down to a dispute over the proposed boundary for the new properties.

In recent years the land on which it's hoped the homes will be built on has been subject to controversy.

An error on a map within the Area Plan for the East meant agricultural land on the perimeter of the Crosby Meadows estate was incorrectly zoned for development.

It's a case which led to the Tynwald Commissioner for Administration recording a finding of maladministration on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

Four new properties have been built within that area already.

However, following a recent site visit by members of the committee, the case officer believes there's been a 'constant creep' into the land on behalf of the developer.

The committee was shown lines on the map where it's believed the build would go beyond the initially proposed boundary.

The applicant - JM Project Management LTD - disputed this, saying it's 'impossible' to note where the boundary would lie as per the eastern area plan, adding he 'totally disagrees' with the new boundary lines the planning officer had presented.

He described it as a 'misrepresentation of what is actually there'.

Meanwhile, questions were also asked about the provision of affordable housing and whether there was a sufficient need for additional housing in Crosby to allow the development to go ahead.

Deferring the application, the Chair of the Planning Committee, Rob Callister said it would allow time to assess the proposed boundaries, the affordable housing provision, and general need for more housing in the village.

The next sitting of the Planning Committee is scheduled for Monday, 5 August, though it's not known if this application will be heard at that time.