Southern sections of coastal path remain closed

Port Erin Commissioners has requested financial assistance from two government departments

Clearing sections of the coastal footpath in the south of the Isle of Man shut off following landslides is currently "cost prohibitive", the local authority has said.

Sections of the Raad ny Foillan path in Port Erin remain closed after two separate landslips caused by erosion in late 2023 and early 2024.

Chairman of Port Erin Commissioners Godfrey Egee said the cost of removing the rubble was "significant" due to the remote location of both areas.

Allocation of funding would be considered by the board during its budgeting process, which would take place towards the end of the financial year, he said.

The Raad ny Foillan runs around the coast of the whole island

Egee said additional repairs and possible stabilisation works would also be required before the footpaths would be safe to reopen, and while quotes had been sought, they were deemed to be "cost prohibitive" by the board.

He said commissioners had discussed the matter with both Rushen MHKs, the Department of Infrastructure and the Department for Enterprise to request for financial assistance in bringing the footpath back into service.

The discussions had "not yet managed to find a solution" and the board was concerned if the money was taken from the current budget it would his other service provision, he continued.

The authority was "committed to see the whole of the Raad ny Foillan through Port Erin open" so would "seek to get the works planned and underway as soon as is practicable" when the money was available, he added.

Additional reporting by Emma Draper, Local Democracy Reporter.