Plans for hundreds of Ballasalla homes and by-pass submitted

An artist's impression of how some of the homes could look

Plans to build 282 houses and a multi-million pound by-pass in Ballasalla have been submitted.

The houses would be built between Douglas Road and the Balthane Industrial Estate, creating 190 jobs, the developers have said.

Malew commissioner's clerk Barry Powell said residents had been consulted twice and were "broadly supportive".

However former commissioner and village resident David MacWilliams said the plan was "ill thought out."

The parish is currently home to about 3,000 people and Mr MacWilliams said it simply did not have the infrastructure for more people.

He said: "We have one doctors surgery which is already stretched, we have one small shop and one primary school. It doesn't make sense."

People living in the area have been consulted about the plans on two occasions

However, Mr Powell said it could help to "create further investment" in the area and that the board would be "scrutinizing the plans".

The Dandara Group developers said the plan "not only addresses the shortage of new homes in the south east of the Island but will greatly alleviate traffic congestion".

The by-pass would divert traffic away from the village centre, starting with a roundabout at Glashen Hill on Douglas Road. It would also include a bridge over railway.

If approved, work on the first phase of the project could begin this summer.