Isle of Man building body highlights specialist skills shortage

UK surveyors will be called in to assess the former nurses' home in Douglas

A lack of specialist contractors could block progress on large Isle of Man redevelopment projects, a government-backed building agency has said.

The Manx Development Corporation plans to turn a decaying former nurses' home in Douglas into new apartments.

Managing director Dane Harrop told a Tynwald committee UK experts have been asked to survey the site due to a lack of suitably skilled on-island workers.

This, coupled with supply chain issues, could hamper major projects, he added.

The comments were made to a Tynwald scrutiny committee appointed to look into ways to improve protections for historical buildings on the island.

A commercial company set up by the Manx government to regenerate unused urban sites, the Manx Development Corporation revealed its plans for the former nurses' home on Westmoreland Road earlier this year.

Redevelopment barriers

Mr Harrop said specialist advice was "really important" to identify any risks and keep costs under control when trying to redevelop urban sites.

In the case of the former nurses' home, surveyors who use ground-penetrating radar to scan the foundations, and assessors who can validate the finished project to international standards would have to be sourced from off the island, he said.

Professionals to suitably assess those risks where essential as they influenced what could be designed for the site and its costs, he added.

The committee also heard that supply chain issues were a barrier to progress on larger sites.

Using the example of asbestos removal, Mr Harrop said there were "literally one or two" firms who could do this, which "put a strain on the development of urban and brownfield sites".

Planning rules around providing public open space and affordable housing, and a 5% VAT rate on repurposing some of these buildings could also affect the viability of large scale projects, he added.