Onchan Local Plan

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This document represents the final draft of a local plan for Onchan. This document has been formulated following the circulation to the public of an Issues and Options document in April, 1998. This identified a series of areas of discussion and therein identified a number of issues and corresponding options for various policy responses. The Issues and Options document also identified the existing policies included in the Onchan Local Plan which was adopted by Tynwald in 1989. Over 100 responses were received to the Issues and Options document including a large number of views from local residents and comments from the Onchan District Commissioners, Manx National Heritage, the Manx Nature Conservation Trust, the Advisory Council on Planning and the Environment, the Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and Environment and various Government Departments.

The Department then prepared a first draft of the local plan for Onchan based upon the policies and proposals of the existing plan, adopted in 1989 and upon those views and comments received in response to the Issues and Options document.

Over fifty views were received from local residents, Government Departments, the Manx Bat Group, the local authority and local businesses. Many views received were content with the majority of the local plan; others focused on a number of specific issues: particular sites were the subject of concentrated thoughts on particular forms of development and comments were also submitted with respect to the limit of the development which should be permitted into the countryside which surrounds the village.

What was obvious again from the local views received and as was the case with the views received in response to the Issues and Options document was the concern of local people that the village should not lose its character and identity by provisions made within the local plan.

The second draft was produced as a result of comments received following the circulation of the first draft and this was the subject of a public inquiry in Onchan Primary School on 27th, 28th and 29th July, 1999. Government Departments, developers and members of the general public submitted views both orally at the hearing and in writing before and during the Inquiry and the Inspector appointed to hear the Inquiry reported back to the Department on 26th August, 1999 whereupon the Department considered the Inspector's report and reassessed the provisions of the plan in this context. The recommendations of the Inspector and the conclusions of the Department are included in the text of this document where appropriate.

The Department met on 20th December, 1999 to hear claims made for compensation to be made by the provisions of Section 9 of the 1934 Town and Country Planning Act. The Department considered the submissions made and resolved finally on 27th January, 2000 to make no provision for compensation in these cases.

The Department then produced this final document which, accompanied by the Planning Scheme Order, represents its views on the future of Onchan in land use planning terms. The Scheme Order was approved by Tynwald on 21st March, 2000 and this Written Statement whilst not being considered by Tynwald for approval provides guidance to be considered in association with the Scheme Order.

It is hoped that the following policies, proposals and recommendations combine to result in a positive document which will protect and provide for the future of the village for the foreseeable future. It is intended that the Onchan Local Plan which is adopted by Tynwald will have an effective life of between five and ten years towards the end of which it will be appropriate to review the adopted policies in accordance with the changing demands and aspirations of the local people and the Island as a whole.