Treasury minister Alfred Cannan has hit out at a ’negative’ and ’retrograde’ decision which may thwart plans to bring a business with more than 250 jobs to Ramsey.

The minister, who is MHK for Ayre and Michael, said in his opinion there ’really was no justification’ for the derelict former farmers’ combine warehouse on West Quay being registered.

And in an exclusive interview with Business News he said that although it would be wrong for him to personally interfere in the matter he hoped the developer, who is businessman Trevor Hemmings, could be ’encouraged’ to continue with the plans.

The Manx Independent’s sister paper the Examiner, reported how Mr Hemmings has been involved in talks with an online gaming company that has shown interest in settling in the north of the island.

He was planning to demolish the former farmers’ combine to pave the way for an office development.

But DEFA [the government’s Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture] unexpectedly served a notice on Mr Hemmings’ Shearwater Properties Limited, that the building has been placed on the Protected Buildings Register.

Mr Cannan speaking after the budget breakfast at the Palace Hotel , Douglas, said: ’I’m really keen to see us driving more investment outside the capital. We talk a lot about brownfield sites, about development and a lot of that tends to be focused on the capital and I can understand that and rightly so because the capital is really our showpiece.

’But I would love to see more investment in to the north of the island. I was really disappointed to see them list the former farmers’ combine building in Ramsey.

’In my opinion it was a retrograde and negative step. There really was no justification for listing that building and in that way preventing development. The north and Ramsey needs some modernisation, it needs to create jobs.

’I was very sad to see that the building had been listed.

’The number of heritage sites and listed buldings on this island far exceed proportionately I think, what is realistic for us.’

Mr Cannan stressed he was not going to interfere in the process but he hopes a way forward can be worked out.

He added that ’personally it’s not a decision I would have supported.

’Clearly it is right that we do list certain buildings and protect our heritage.

’But I have to question exactly what we were trying to protect with this.’

He added: ’It’s an old stone Manx building and there are hundreds of those across the island. There was not much worth in keeping it, I don’t know what on earth was the purpose of trying to keep that particular building in that format and shape. I’m just disappointed that we have slowed down what sounded like a very exciting project for the north of the island. I am disappointed with the decision to list that building.’

Asked if he would be raising his concerns with DEFA minister Geoffrey Boot MHK, he stressed: ’It would be wrong of me to personally interfere in that way. A process has happened.’

But he added: ’It’s about making sure the processes are right and that’s what we’ll be looking at very carefully.

’I will be giving the developer as much encouragement as possible to carry on with their plans and to try and put the buildings up there in Ramsey, the office space they are talking about, and hopefully encourage some jobs and investment in to the north of the island.’

Speaking from his office at the Ballaseyr Stud complex in Andreas Mr Hemmings welcomed Mr Cannan’s comments. He said he was pleased that Mr Cannan ’has expressed the views he has on this matter. I am hopeful this decision will be reversed.’

He has 21 days to appeal against the DEFA decision but fears the online gaming company will pull out because of the delay. He has alerted his lawyers to look at the matter.