A proposal to demolish a row of office buildings on Finch Road and replace them with a five‑storey apartment block has been submitted to planners.
Lichfield Properties Ltd is seeking approval in principle for a 28‑unit residential scheme at 26-36 Finch Road, Douglas, with 30 parking spaces.
The site previously secured permission in 2008 for a substantial office development totalling 38,386 sq ft and 74 parking spaces.
Although that scheme was approved, and an appeal by Douglas Corporation dismissed, the pre‑let that underpinned the project fell through, commercial interest declined, and the permission has since lapsed.
The applicant says demand for office space has now “ceased”, prompting a shift to residential use. Apartment sizes are expected to range from 770 to 1,290 sq ft.
Following pre‑application discussions, the design has been reduced and stepped down next to the neighbouring registered building at No. 24. The frontage has also been pulled back to align with the existing building line. These changes reduce the overall building area to 30,462 sq ft.
Savage & Chadwick Architects, representing the applicant, describe the proposal as a “major urban regeneration development” for Douglas.
