The Isle of Man Farm Shop Company Ltd has submitted a planning application to convert the Swiss Chalet at Glen Helen into a retail outlet dedicated to local products.
The proposal seeks to change the use of the ground floor from a restaurant to a shop, selling locally produced food, drink, crafts, and artwork. It would also offer hot drinks and soups for consumption off the premises.
The application, prepared by Sarah Corlett Town Planning Consultancy, acknowledges the site is not within a designated settlement area, where retail development is normally directed.
However, it argues the unique nature of the proposal justifies an exception.
Experience
The planning statement says the facility is “not a conventional retail outlet” but is designed to be a “local producer experience”.
It adds: “The goods to be offered for sale are not currently found together all in one location and what is proposed will bring together a number of existing outlets to provide an additional facility for the goods to be displayed and sold.”
The document says the shop would also create “a unique opportunity for customers to be able to peruse and hopefully purchase a range of locally produced items”.
The Swiss Chalet has been vacant since a fire in 2020 and DEFA, which owns the building, is understood to support the plan with a proposed 20-year lease.
You can find the full application here.