Planning
It Could Stay This Way Forever
John Wannenburgh asked the minister about the development on Duke Street
DEFA Minister Clare Barber says that a development in the heart of Douglas that seemingly stopped overnight has an ‘unlimited’ timeframe to be completed.
Mrs Barber was asked what is happening with the site on Duke Street on the matter by John Wannenburgh (Douglas North).
Permission was given in December 2019 to demolish 42 to 50 Duke Street and further permission was granted in August 2021 replace it with a six floor building featuring shops and flats.
Since then, the old buildings have been demolished and a steel skeleton erected, but then the work seemed to just stop and the site has been silent ever since.
In her written reply, Mrs Barber said: ‘The planning application submitted on the site 42 to 50 Duke Street, Douglas for a mixed use development with ground floor retail units and 20 residential apartments at upper floors (20/00679/B) was approved on the 26th August 2021 and expires on the 26th August 2025. Accordingly, this planning approval is still valid.
‘Having said this, the ground works and construction of the steelwork would likely be regarded as commencement of the development and therefore has an unlimited time for the works to be completed. The department has had no correspondence with the applicants/owners since the commencement of works on the site.
‘Regarding whether the structure is “sound”, the site falls under the remit of Douglas Borough Council Building Control, and they will be able to advise on what inspections have been requested / carried out.
‘Enquiries regarding the soundness or stability of the structure should be directed to the site owner / developer directly and if no response is received or if there are any genuine concerns now or in the future, Douglas Borough Council’s Building Control Team should be contacted.’
In 2022 Gef previously tried to contact the company named on the planning application Thomson Hunter Associates, which acted as the agent for Duke Street Developments Limited, about the scheme, but we have not received a reply.
