Plans for a large new housing estate in Braddan have been approved at appeal.

Hartford Homes secured planning consent in May 2022 to build 320 homes and a nursery on land to the east of Braddan Road.

Its application (22/00675/B) also included outlines plans for a potential new two-form primary school.

Braddan Commissioners and occupants of three properties at Braddan Bridge appealed, leading to a planning inquiry which was held over three days in May.

Planning inspector recommended the planning committee’s original decision be upheld and Environment Minister Clare Barber agreed that both appeals be dismissed and Hartford’s application approved.

The 31 hectare site is made up of pasture land bordered by Kirk Braddan cemetery, the Tromode Woods estate and Port-e-Chee meadows.

Hartford’s plans are for up to 320 dwellings, a quarter of which are proposed as two and three-bed affordable housing, together with a neighbourhood centre comprising three commercial units and a children’s nursery.

The approval in principle for a new primary school would potentially be brought forward by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture.

Access to the estate will be via a new junction on Braddan Road. A spine road through the estate could also link up with Ballafletcher Road in the future although that was not included in the application.

The majority of the site and a field to the north were allocated primarily for residential development in the 2020 Area Plan for the East.

But in its appeal, Braddan Commissioners described Hartford’s proposals as a ‘suburban development that has no place in our uniquely Manx natural, wildlife, cultural and built heritage’ and would be ‘an intrusion into an area of versatile farmland’.

It pointed out there was no confirmation from the Department of Education, Sport and Culture that a new school would be built on the site, its size, or what it would look like.

Residents on Braddan Bridge claimed the proposed development would have a severe impact on the safe use of the TT Access Road. They also raised concerns and the new access junction and about the demolition of the substantial retaining wall on the east side of Braddan Road.

But recommending approval, planning inspector Jennifer Vyse concluded: ‘Quite clearly, the erection of up to 320 dwellings, plus a neighbourhood centre and, potentially, a two-form entry primary school, would change the character and appearance of this greenfield site.

‘However, that was recognised by the Area Plan inspector when he allocated the land for development. He found the site to be generally well contained and that the proposed housing would be well screened and relatively inconspicuous in most views.’

She said she had no reason to suppose that proposed development would affect the safe movement of traffic on the through road.