Only 20% of Nunnery campus can be used for shops as permission granted for change of use

Site will shift from educational to mixed use site

Permission has been granted for the Nunnery to change from an educational site to mixed use.

But only a maximum of 20 percent of the site can be used for shops following concerns from Douglas City Council.

The historic estate was given approval for use as an educational facility back in 2003 but last year UCM relocated its higher education students to its main Homefield Road campus.

Since then the estate has continued to operate as a 'mixed-use business campus accommodating a range of occupiers'.

The Planning Committee (22 June) heard that the application for the site simply sought to reflect that fact and 'provide flexibility for future tenants'.

The plans, do not involve any significant physical alteration to the estate buildings or 'fundamentally new activity' on the site. 

Instead the proposal is limited to a change of planning use - from educational to mixed use - and therefore 'has minimal direct impact on the historic fabric of the site'.

Chair of the Planning Committee Rob Callister MHK said "we want to keep this building going" and echoed the viewpoint of Douglas City Council which sought to limit the amount of retail offerings housed there.

The application was unanimously supported.