There is frustration over lack of progress on Castletown’s housing review.

Four sites were identified following a call for sites suitable for development in town was made in October 2015.

The sites are at Great Meadow, Qualtrough’s timber yard, Knock Rushen and off the Castletown bypass.

Concerns prompted local MHK Jason Moorhouse to email Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas MHK.

Mr Moorhouse wrote: ’The letter to the owners of the four preferred sites stated applications would not be considered until March 1, 2018. What was the reason for this forced delay?’

Mr Thomas replied: ’This is not a forced delay. ’What is intended is for site owners, project proponents and stakeholders to have all the pre-application meetings and working time with servicing authorities and the development management staff at the Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) before any application.’

Mr Moorhouse asked: ’The four preferred sites will not receive any change in zoning and as such "will not be designated for development".

’Despite the level of preparatory work carried out by GVA (the real estate specialist hired by government to do the assessment).

’Given this situation have any of the sites a realistic prospect of being awarded planning permission?’

Mr Thomas said: ’Government â?¦ will apply the appropriate mechanism to facilitate development of the right outcome. The right outcome isn’t one the government or planning officers should be designing in detail: we set the policy intent and invite owners and developers to show how that can work on each unique site.’

Mr Moorhouse raised the issue of the possible impact of the proposed bypass at Ballasalla. 

’The number of new homes will be limited to 175 (despite rumours the Ballasalla development will be twice that size) creating a possible "free for all mentality" or simply stopping proposed developers who feel that to carry out all the prerequisites to the application process, will delay them so much their application may simply be "too late"?’

Mr Thomas argued the government’s invitation for detailed applications was ’a clear indication that things are indeed not too late’.

He added: ’Each site has challenges and opportunities and we want to work with developers and owners to reach the best result, not use a mere numerical target to drive design.’

Submitting detailed plans for sites, ’potentially creates unacceptable financial barriers in the way of developments and extends the timescale well beyond 2021’.

Mr Thomas said: ’Deciding about any application will be influenced by the circumstances of each site ... Stakeholders are best advised to work with us to achieve the right approach for the right outcome.’

Last week, commissioners agreed developers should get some ’assurance’ of permission being granted if they spend several thousand pounds on plans.

Castletown Commissioners’ chairman Colin Leather said: ’The bypass at Ballasalla has been on the cards for 30 years.

’There is a huge shortage of housing. It will be a huge bonus for Castletown.

’The bypass will help to draw people to the town, which is coming out of the doldrums after several years.’