Laxey Wheel: Plans for a replacement visitor entrance hub at site

The current kiosk and turnstile could be demolished under new plans

The visitor entrance at a landmark heritage site on the Isle of Man could be transformed, if plans are approved.

Manx National Heritage (MNH) has applied to replace the current hub at the Laxey Wheel.

In its application, MNH said the existing kiosk, built in 1986, "does not meet modern standards".

The current space provides a "poor visitor welcome with no opportunity for shelter and limited retail opportunities", it added.

The Laxey Wheel was built in 1854

Plans would see the demolition of the existing kiosk and turnstile and the construction of a "lightweight" building, built from insulated panels, which would be divided into two areas.

The customer-facing side would include an admissions point, where visitors could have a conversation with the customer services team and purchase merchandise, or shelter from the weather.

A smaller space would be dedicated to staff facilities, for welfare breaks and administration purposes.

An external ramp would create level access throughout the building and a nearby retaining wall would be re-profiled to create space for the proposed new building.

'Effectively or efficiently'

MNH said the current facilities on site had "not changed significantly" since the current entrance kiosk was introduced in the 1980s.

The space therefore failed to "provide a customer-focused interface between MNH site staff and visitors" and could not function "effectively or efficiently in support of income generation", the heritage body added.

The Victorian landmark, also known the Lady Isabella, was built in 1854 to pump water from the Laxey Mines.

It reopened and began turning again in 2022 after a two-year stoppage for repairs and conservation work.

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