Government stance on Douglas Head conservation area status slammed

The Camera Obscura is one of the buildings already registered in the area

A decision not to progress with a proposal to make Douglas Head a conservation area has been branded "ridiculous" by an MHK.

It was revealed last month that there were no immediate plans to protect the area, despite respondents to a consultation supporting the move.

Chris Thomas said the area had "deteriorated" over the past 20 years.

Cabinet Office Minister Kate Lord-Brennan said the protections already in place in the area were sufficient.

She said the area was "not seen as a priority" due to the "number and extent of existing policy protections within the suggested area boundary", including an area of special scientific interest on Marine Drive and registered status for several buildings.

As a "significant portion of the suggested conservation area for Douglas Head contains no buildings", the "need to manage existing development across much of the conservation area simply isn't there", she added.

Part of the proposed area overlooks Douglas Bay

Mr Thomas said, as the proposal had been backed by heritage bodies that responded to the consultation, including Manx National Heritage and Culture Vannin, it seemed "ridiculous to put it to the back of the queue again".

The decision was a "charade" and "basically nothing's going to happen in conservation" as a result of it, he added.

Ms Lord-Brennan said the aim was to "start a full review of existing and proposed conservation areas within the next six to 12 months".

"Best practice is that conservation area designation should be supported with a conservation management plan, this needs to be comprehensive and takes time," she said.

"Realistically, it may take a number of years to ensure the number and extent of conservation areas, and their supporting management plans, are up to date and suitable in terms of long term management and guidance."