Planning
“Portacabin” Plans Withdrawn
Plans to build a new visitor entrance at the Great Laxey Wheel, dubbed a ‘portacabin’ by some, have been withdrawn.
Manx National Heritage’s application to replace the existing entrance was submitted at the back end of November.
The withdrawing of the plans to replace the existing kiosk with a ‘welcome hub’ were met with opposition from some local residents, while historian and broadcaster Charles Guard blasted it and said the proposed replacement ‘looks like a plastic portacabin’.
In documents published on the planning website, head of properties Steve Blackford emailed planners to say: ‘After further consideration we believe that we can effect a number of changes to the proposed scheme which will address the key issues of siting and perception of mass to reduce the impact on the approach and setting of the wheel
‘Please can I request that this application and application 23/01322/CON are withdrawn and a new application will follow in due course.’
This followed a site visit with planning officer Vanessa Porter who had told him that she had ‘concerns regarding the application, which would mean that my recommendation would not be favourable’.
These included that the application needed to take into account the character of the surrounding area.
She said: ‘The proposal fails to respect the historic importance of the Laxey Wheel, by introducing a larger massing, of a modern design which is not in keeping with the Conservation Area as a whole, or the site itself.
‘With the location of the proposal and how close the proposal is to the Laxey Wheel, it would have significant harm to the structure. As such it is deemed by its siting, massing and modern form/ materials that it would significantly harm the main principle viewpoints of the Laxey Wheel which is from the main approach of the car park.’
The plans were also criticised by Garff Commissioners, with the board saying the proposed hub ‘was of poor design quality and was out of character with the integrity of this important heritage site’.
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