PREPARATORY works have been taking place ahead of the demolition of the former Peel Medical Centre in Derby Road, Peel.
It was revealed at Peel Town Commissioners’ public meeting last Tuesday that the demolition was to go ahead.
The board had objected to it being knocked down.
A building preservation order notice was issued by the Department of Infrastructure to Derby Road Limited, based in Victoria Road, Douglas, in September last year. The notice stated that the building ‘appears to be of special architectural or historic interest’ and it was to consider entering the building on the Protected Buildings Register. The notice came into effect on September 7 and remained in place for four months.
The building failed to meet the criteria to go on the Protected Buildings Register.
The notice period has now lapsed and work will proceed to demolish the building to create parking for Shoprite.
Andrew Thomas, chief executive of Isle of Man Enterprises, which is Shoprite’s parent company, explained in September that Isle of Man Enterprises reached agreement with Department of Health to purchase the vacant ex doctors’ surgery in January 2012.
He said the rationale of the purchase, ‘which was clearly understood at the time’, was to demolish the redundant building to create much-needed additional car parking space to cater for increased footfall at the enlarged Shoprite store.
Shorpite car park spaces will be increased from 122 to 155. It is anticipated the work will be done by the end of February.
It is intended that the stone from the demolished building, which was once home to Peel Clothworkers School, will be donated by Shoprite to The Cathedral Quarter Trust, which is hoping to use it for its lychgate project at St German’s Cathedral.
Shoprite’s Mr Thomas said: ‘We are pleased to be embarking on our final stage of development in the Peel store. Feedback we have received from local residents is that they are delighted with the newly-upgraded store.’
He added: ‘It was important to us that the stone from the demolished building will be used to benefit the Peel community.’
Shoprite opened its Peel operation in 1985 on the existing site, and the Peel sandstone from the demolished building that previously stood there was donated to help construct the town’s lifeboat station.
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