Steel staircase to enhance harbour access approved

The site is on the south side of the inner harbour close to the South Quay

Proposals for a new steel staircase to allow an extra entrance to part of the harbour in the island's capital has been backed by planners.

The the harbours division of the Department of Infrastructure said the proposals, at The Tongue in Douglas, would create further pedestrian access to the inner harbour's pontoons.

The structure, which includes a lockable gate, would be installed over an existing wall from the Little River Bridge car park.

Granting permission for the project, the planning committee heard the staircase would improve the flow of access to the boat moorings and improve security measures at the entrance.

The development would be 19ft (6m) wide with steel mesh fencing above the car park wall standing at 3.9ft (1.2m).

The structure would work with the existing ramp at the entrance

The harbours division said the stairs were to be used as secondary access to the inner harbour pontoon when access from Bridge Road was closed to the public due to lifting operations using a crane.

The proposed structure and lockable gate were therefore being installed as a matter of health and safety, it said.

While the structure would mean the loss of one parking space in the small car park adjacent, the department said an agreement had already been made with the public estates and housing division.

The planning officer's report said although the site was in close proximity to the Douglas North Quay Conservation Area, the works were considered to be small in scale and would not result in any detrimental visual impact, only affecting the immediate area without appearing intrusive to the wider harbour area.