Demolition of former primary school cost £68k

Demolishing a primary school in the Isle of Man's capital cost £68,000 with the site currently being used by an arm's length government body for parking and storage.

Ballacloan Infants' School in Douglas was demolished in January 2023 after it had been empty for a number of years.

Treasury Minister Alex Allinson said the site was currently being used by the Manx Development Corporation during its redevelopment of the old nurses home on Westmoreland Road.

However, Julie Edge MHK argued something needed to be in place to ensure government-owned land "brings a return in".

Jason Moorhouse MHK questioned why the government spent money on demolishing the site instead of leaving that to the whoever bought the site in future.

Allinson told the House of Keys the site had not been used for "educational purposes" since 2016 and while it had been used for a period during the pandemic it had remained otherwise "derelict".

When buildings were left empty for "a long period of time" there were "ongoing costs to government" in terms of heating, lighting and insurance, he said.

The government needed to bring these sites "back into economic use" and demolition was the "first point" to achieve that, Allinson said.

He told members the vacant site had been valued by the government in June and there were "ongoing works" to look at the disposal of the site for that value, which had not been advertised on the open market.

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