Garff Commissioners unsupportive of planning application for new windows on Flour Mill

The local authority also discussed Cooil Roi and Lonan Church

A retrospective planning application seeking permission for new windows for a site office on the old Flour Mill building has been described as 'unacceptable' by Garff Commissioners.

The building is owned, at arms length, by Treasury and the board members expressed concerns that government hadn’t followed its own rules about planning.

Chair Stan Ryzak said: “We have to go through that procedure. We have to fill out our forms and pay our fee and we have to keep it the same for everyone.”

The application is also in a conservation area and has had plastic doors and windows installed with double glazing to insulate the office and reduce energy costs.

The board agreed it had previously been unsupportive of applications which had used plastic in conservation areas, and it wouldn’t be supporting this one on ‘principle’.

Last night’s meeting was also the first since the boundary extension public inquiry, and an update was provided by Marinda Fargher, commissioner for Maughold.

She said from her perspective the inquiry felt premature and Ramsey Commissioners should’ve waited for the North and West Area Plan to come out.

The commissioners had no confirmed date for the publication of the report.

An update was provided about fundraising from the residents at Cooil Roi sheltered housing complex.

The residents committee had fundraised £1600 for Sight Matters and the Hospice which will be give £800 each.

Residents had also raised an extra £180 for the Hospice through charity donation buckets and selling knitted ducks for the Laxey Duck Races.

An update was also provided by Commissioner Stuart Clague about a meeting held with the new Archdeacon on what to do about Lonan Church.

The building is currently unused and there is £67,000 set aside for its redevelopment as a community space or hub.

Mr Clague said the Archdeacon was making enquiries about fixing the roof, installing a new toilet and replacing the windows.