The sale of historic Cronkbourne village is close to completion.

A contract for the sale of the cottages by Braddan Commissioners to developer Arragon Properties is in the hands of the conveyancing lawyers.

But there is still an issue to resolve over the ownership of the road at the top of the historic village in Tromode.

It is understood that the commissioners hope that the sale will be completed within the next four weeks and that Arragon plans to refurbish the properties and rent them out privately.

Braddan Commissioners announced back in April 2015 that they were looking to sell 33 Victorian era cottages at Cronkbourne because of the spiralling costs of maintenance.

They invited expressions of interest for the homes that were built in the 1840s to provide accommodation for workers at a nearby sailcloth factory.

According to local historian Peter Kelly, Cronkbourne is the second-oldest example of an industrial village in the British Isles after New Lanark in Scotland.

Best known as the childhood home of Manx artist Archibald Knox, the cottages have been used for public sector housing since they were acquired by Braddan Parish Commissioners in the 1960s.

They underwent significant refurbishment in the 1980s, and further work has been completed since, but damp and condensation problems continue.

A few years ago it was identified a further significant amount of money - anywhere between £500,000 to a million or more - would need to be spent trying to eradicate the damp problems.

But the commissioners said many would still be cramped and not to the standard expected of today’s local authority housing.

The village was put up for sale in its entirety, with the proceeds going towards the construction of new social housing.

Commissioners had previously said they may continue to lease the properties for up to five years following the sale while new homes are built and tenants are relocated.

Around half of the Cronkbourne cottages are currently occupied.

The commissioners have said they would be very supportive of efforts to convert one of the cottages into a heritage centre, recognising the historic value of the village which they should be protected for future generations.

An update given to Braddan Commissioners at their meeting in June said that investigations into the ownership of the top road were ongoing and Arragon was ’looking for a letter of comfort from the conservation officer to say he would not take any enforcement action or legal proceedings against them for any work that the commissioners had failed to undertake’.