Examining impact of large Manx schemes needs 'more rigour'

A government unit which looks at the impact of large development schemes could be created as a result of delays to the Douglas promenade revamp, the treasury minister has said.

The £25m two-year redevelopment, which began in September 2018, is already about 10 weeks behind schedule.

Business owners have said it may take years to recover lost revenue.

Alfred Cannan said a "major projects unit" would "put more rigour" into how plans are examined before work starts.

He said one department working in "isolation" on major infrastructure projects was "really not good enough" and a plan for the unit would be presented to the council of ministers at the end of the summer, before being put before Tynwald.

Clare Bettison MHK, the chairwoman of the Environment and Infrastructure Policy Review Committee, has previously said the phasing of the works in Douglas meant that "in theory, every single business will be affected three times".

Business owners have also criticised the Department of Infrastructure's (DoI) "poor communication" about the progress of the £25m scheme.

Mr Cannan said members of the Treasury, DoI and Department for Enterprise would meet to discuss finding a "mechanism to help support those businesses that may be in trouble" as a result of the disruption.