The final chapter could about to be played out in the saga of a village’s controversial redevelopment project.

Port St Mary Commissioners has submitted a petition to the Department of Infrastructure seeking approval for the sale of Manxonia House for £227,500.

Its potential buyers say they want to turn it into a hub for showcasing Manx products and produce.

The derelict building was bought by the local authority in 2016 for £191,000.

At a public meeting in 2018, commissioners’ chairman Michelle Haywood said just under £270,000, including the purchase price, had been spent on its refurbishment so far.

’We don’t have the money to complete the project,’ she admitted.

She estimated the project would cost £400,000, including purchase price.

With the redevelopment project abandoned, Manxonia House was placed on the market for an asking price of £295,000.

In a statement, the potential purchasers - an island-base company owned by a Manx family who currently operates a business in Port St Mary, said: ’Our primary aim to restore a prominent building in the centra of the village and to create a hub which will attract people to the village.

’It is our intention to include within the ground floor facilities a retail area to showcase and promote Manx products and produce.’

They said they plan was to use local contractors and for the refurbishment to be completed with 12 to 18 months, and the building to be up and running in various stages.

Critics of the Manxonia project highlighted the lack of prior public consultation before the building was purchased by the local authority, as well as the cost of refurbishment.

Residents called it a millstone and blamed it for a 5.2% rise in the village rates - which some commissioners denied.

It also emerged at the public meeting in 2018 that the Commissioners had taken the decision to purchase Manxonia House without seeing a survey.