A replacement for Scoill yn Jubilee primary school could be built in the place of the now-demolished Park Road secondary school.

A number of school sites in the east of the island could look very different in a few years’ time.

The government has outlined which educational sites are earmarked for potential future development to meet the needs.

The draft area plan for the east earmarked land needed for new primary schools.

One possibility could be Scoill yn Jubilee - currently split across the sites of the former Murray’s Road and Ballaquayle schools in Douglas - replaced by a primary school on the land that used to be home to Park Road School before it was knocked down and replaced by a new facility at Bemahague, Onchan, to provide the lower school section of St Ninian’s High School in 2012.

The details of possible changes are set out by Education Minister Dr Alex Allinson in response to a written Tynwald question from Chris Thomas (Douglas Central), who wanted to know which sites had been identified for meeting educational needs up until 2036, in the part of the island covered by the eastern area plan.

That draft plan stated: ’Land needed for additional education centres including new primary and secondary education schools within the lifetime of the plan will be protected from any other development until such time as full requirements for extended settlements are known.’

Any need for new schools will take account of the land made up by the ’strategic reserves sites identified in Crosby, west of Johnny Watterson’s Lane and Union Mills/Strang’.

In his reply, Dr Allinson then outlined some particular areas where development or change is needed.

Scoill yn Jubilee needs to be enlarged or redeveloped, said Dr Allinson.

The former Park Road School site, just around the corner from the Murray’s Road campus of the school, is currently proposed to be designated for ’predominantly residential’ purposes in the area plan.

But Dr Allinson points out an inspector’s report says: ’It would remain open to the [Department of Education] to acquire this land and apply for planning permission for its development for primary school purposes, as a departure from the area plan.

’The existing Scoill yn Jubilee sites could then become available for eventual residential development to restore the potential for increase in the housing stock.’

Braddan School is also identified as in need of redevelopment or enlargement - with the planning inspector identifying potential issues with the current capacity.

Land off Braddan Road is proposed for a ’predominantly residential’ designation in the draft area plan, but the department has asked that land for a new, two-form entry be reserved ’as part of this allocation’.

The planning inspector said: ’It would best be matter for negotiation between the prospective developer, the planning authority, and DESC.’

Meanwhile, north Douglas requires additional primary capacity ’beyond existing development potential’ at Willaston School, ’where we can expand to two-form entry’.

The planning inspector said it may be ’prudent’ to make provision for a new primary school to be ’eventually provided as part of the development of land to the north of Johnny Watterson’s Lane’.

Onchan and Ashley Hill schools could be replaced with a new site on land within what is known as ’comprehensive treatment area five’ - an area of Onchan including the current two schools, a factory and some residential streets.

Future school capacity is also needed for Baldrine with a planning inspector suggesting that land proposed as ’predominantly residential’ off Baldrine Road, could be designated for educational use, provision.

Future additional secondary school capacity can be provided at Bemahague in Onchan, which is St Ninian’s lower school. There is a teaching block extension development site that wasn’t built when the school opened in 2012.

The draft area plan has no proposals for an additional zoning for a new secondary school site, with any additional provision focussed on the two St Ninian’s sites and Ballakermeen.

Land next to University College Isle of Man’s Homefield and William Kennish campuses could be used to further develop provision for higher, professional and adult educational provision.

Any future moves to bring the two campuses together could have an impact on a row of homes, but the recommendation is that area remains designated ’predominantly residential’ until such time ’as plans have been approved to redevelop this area for educational purposes as part of the continued development of the Isle of Man College campus site on Greenfield Road’.