Plans for a major development in Ramsey have been given a cautious welcome by the Society for the Preservation of the Manx Countryside and the Environment.
Seymar Developments has applied to build a 30-bedroom hotel and 96 apartments on the Mooragh Promenade.
However, the Society says while, on the surface, it seems a welcome proposal, it does have a number of concerns.
James Davis reports (audio file attached):
The Society says the proposal strays beyond zoned land, believes its design is questionable and has questioned the reason for demolishing two 'perfectly satisfactory bungalows' as part of the development.
However, its main concern is guaranteeing a hotel is built at all, as Seymar Developments has a separate application to pull down the Grand Island Hotel and replace it with 68 apartments.
Ramsey Commissioners supports the plans but want planners to impose a condition which ensures a new hotel is built before the Grand Island potentially disappears.
It also wants assurances a certain percentage of the apartments will be classed as affordable housing, while commissioner Wilf Young has highlighted the need to make sure sewerage capacity is adequate.
(Picture of Grand Island Hotel, courtesy of manxscenes.com)
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