Decision to expand Ramsey 'in Tynwald's hands'

Expansion plans would approximately double the town's footprint

A decision on doubling the size of a northern town will ultimately be up to Tynwald, the chairman of an inquiry into the request has said.

Three days of evidence gathering was held in Ramsey last week, which heard evidence from commissioners, experts and residents.

The town's local authority has applied to expand its boundaries into the neighbouring authorities of Lezayre and Garff.

Manx advocate Peter Taylor will now report his findings to the Department of Infrastructure, which will decide on whether to bring it forward as an order for Tynwald approval.

Mr Taylor said once he had submitted his conclusions, it would "be in their hands".

The inquiry had "extensive submissions" from the authorities including Ramsey, with 11 people giving evidence in person and 347 written responses submitted.

'Important to Ramsey'

One of those to give evidence was Ayre and Michael MHK Tim Johnston, who was the only member of the House of Keys to take part.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said he spent "a lot of time" talking to people in Lezayre who had indicated there were not in favour of the boundary extension.

Overall he had "not seen support for this", he added.

While plans to increase the town date back to 2018, commissioners in Garff have also remained staunchly against the proposals.

Vice chairman Marinda Fargher questioned what benefit the land would be to the town's development.

She said: "It's a huge area of countryside and hillside and national glens that Ramsey want to take within their boundary."

Meanwhile Ramsey Commissioners clerk Tim Cowin, who previously said the town was "at capacity", said: "We wouldn't have put this forward if we didn't believe there was good reason."

"The boundary extension is important to Ramsey, it's important to the development of the north of the island," he said.