Planning committee backs replacing Dalby stone cottage with larger modern home

Members voted four to two for the Pine Trees scheme despite objections over its height, scale and position beside the Raad ny Foillan coastal footpath.

DalbySat 14 Nov, 06:232 min read

By Manx Wire Newsroom

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Approval has been given to knock down Pine Trees, a traditional Manx stone cottage at Dalby, and build a considerably bigger contemporary house in its place. The planning committee backed the scheme by four votes to two, according to Isle of Man Today.

Prospero Facilities Services Ltd made the application (26/00511/B). Objectors raised concerns about the taller, bulkier replacement and about how visible it would be from the Raad ny Foillan coastal path, which passes right in front of the site, the outlet reported.

The property already had permission, granted in January 2025, for the cottage and its garage block to be extended and remodelled as a modern family home. Isle of Man Today reported that the applicant then concluded a complete rebuild would be better for the environment.

Architect John Wilson said in a planning statement that work on the earlier scheme had shown up shortcomings in the existing structure. Keeping parts of the old building, he said, would “create areas of compromise in terms of environmental sustainability”, above all in meeting the airtightness and thermal efficiency standards of a new build.

According to the outlet, the new house will have large areas of glazing and two pitched gables facing onto the road.

In support of the plans, the applicant said the old farmhouse had limited architectural value, as years of extensions and alterations had eroded its traditional character. It also said the replacement would be no wider than the existing cottage and annexe taken together.

Committee member Helen Hughes said she had “huge concerns at the scale and impact” of the scheme, Isle of Man Today reported. She did welcome the new house being set back by three metres.

Another member, Peter Whiteway, also raised the issue of size. He pointed out that the eaves of the new roof would be level with the ridge of the current building. “I think it will be a lot more prominent,” he said. “What’s there at the moment is almost hidden.”

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