The planning department in the Isle of Man is busy. When you submit a planning application, yours is one more on top of a giant to-do list. Planning officers will not be able to help you through the whole process, and they will often be too busy to offer feedback on your application.

A well-prepared planning application considers the person who will be reading it. It must be well systematised, easy to understand, and include all the mandatory documentation. The easier you make the planning authority's job, the more you will get out of it. During the pre-application stage, you could receive guidance on design aspects that need to change or further documentation required to support your submission. 

Seeking pre-application advice provides the chance to develop a clear sense of what the planning department is looking for in property development and what consultants you may need to reinforce your application. Most people underestimate how many consultants this may be, each of which comes with a fee. 

One mistake people make in their planning application is focusing only on the design. Even if your ideas appear correct according to the Isle of Man Planning Department design guidance, there is a likelihood your application will fail if you don't consider the Isle of Man Development Plan policies.

The Planning Departments are not only interested in whether your design is uncontroversial or viable. They will also evaluate whether your design is suitable for its location, for the local area and whether it respects the history of the building. Their advice lets you know what the planning department will likely support. 

While there are island-wide principles, much of what will and will not be considered appropriate for your property will be specific to the street or the site itself. This is also why it is always worth seeking pre-application advice from a planning officer.

If you plan to carry out an extensive development or your property is a registered building, you may be overwhelmed if you attempt the planning process without assistance.

At Modus Architects, we give clients the best chance of planning success while pushing the boundaries of what can be approved. We can remove the unknown from the planning process for you. We know the planning department's attitude towards various types of development.

Planning officers know our name, so when we consult on a project, they are reassured that the process will be carried out thoughtfully and professionally and that we won't waste their time. Thanks to our close relationship with the planning department, we can gain insight into planning policies and seek advice with more frequency and detail than people unknown to them.

At Modus Architects, we have access to a breadth and depth of knowledge and experience in winning planning approval on the Isle of Man. We know how the Isle of Man Planning Department works and can anticipate what they won't approve – and where we might be able to push the boundaries of what will be approved. If you have any questions about planning in the Isle of Man or a development you are considering, please feel free to contact jeremy@modus.co.im or +44 (0) 1624 825852.