The planning process over plans to redevelop the former Castletown Golf Links Hotel has taken an ’inordinate’ length of time, a court heard.

Langness Golf Course Ltd has lodged a petition of doleance over the planning department’s failure to determine Dandara’s application for the derelict hotel.

Fort Island Developments Ltd, part of the Dandara Group, submitted its multi-million pound plans for a new hotel and flats complex just over three years ago.

The application (17/01265/B) is for a 4*-plus hotel with leisure and spa facilities together with 40 residential flats.

Dandara says that a residential development is the only way for the commercial case for a hotel to stack up.

Philip Vermeulen, owner of the golf links, believes the eyesore old hotel has materially affected his business. He supports a community leisure facility on the site rather than private flats.

The petition of doleance lodged by his company, Langness Golf Course Ltd, is seeking a court order requiring the planning application to be determined by January 15.

Steve Coren, advocate for the claimant, told the court the delay in determining the application was ’procedurally unfair’.

He said: ’This process is taking an inordinate length of time - that is inarguable.’

Mr Coren claimed the planning department had ’helped the applicant as much as it possibly can to make an unacceptable application, acceptable.’

He said there had been a ’mistaken understanding of the scope of planning officers that had ’materially contributed to the delay in this case’.

Deemster Andrew Corlett heard there had been a degree of compromise by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture which has agreed to have the matter determined by the planning department by March 5. DEFA’s case is that there is no precedent for an objector to secure a court order requiring a planning application to be determined by a particular time.

Tim Cullen, of the Derbyhaven Residents’ Society, told the court about concerns over asbestos and intruders in the old hotel.

Deemster Corlett reserved judgment in the case.