Are there any ideas about the future use of Manxonia House in Port St Mary?

The village commissioners posed the question after the authority bought the property - on the corner of the Promenade and Bay View Road - last October.

It has been unoccupied for a decade and the authority bought it to bring the building back into use.

Commissioners’ chairman Bernadette Williams said: ’This is a high profile building within our village that has cast a shadow over the success of our shopping centre for some time now.

’The board of commissioners have purchased it and we will restore it to productive use over the coming year or two.

’We have already been successful in attracting funding from the government’s regeneration fund towards this cost.

’We have developed a couple of options for its re-use, but before committing to the best one, we are going to consult the public and the business community to discover if there are any better plans out there.

’We are aware that properties in our commercial area come to the market only occasionally and we are committed to obtaining the maximum benefit for the village from this opportunity. Port St Mary would benefit from a commercial operation coming here, creating more jobs and wealth.’

The building extends to 140 square metres of space for retail or commercial purposes and a one-bedroom apartment.

The authority has received a number of expressions of interest for part of the property, but are advertising for interest in taking on either part or the whole of it.

Commissioner Richard Ashcroft proposed its refurbishment be driven by commissioners’ clerk Alastair Hamilton, instead of by a special sub group, to progress the project more quickly

Mr Ashcroft explained the sub group added ’an unnecessary level of administration creating delays in progress,’ adding: ’It’s costing money and losing revenue [from a potential tenant].

’The sooner we see it completed the sooner we see a revenue stream.’

Commissioner Ian Skelly asked for them to identify ’a definitive idea of what we want Manxonia to be.’ He suggested a commercial operation ’to bring footfall into the village, not an extension of commissioners’ office.’

The authority declined to comment on the options it has considered for Manxonia or how much it has secured from the regeneration fund. Contact Alastair Hamilton, phone 832101.