A company has submitted plans for a medicinal cannabis farm near Ronaldsway Airport, which it says will create 60 jobs over three years.
If approved, the site would be built on land next to Ronaldsway Aircraft Company, on the Ronaldsway Business Park.
In its design statement, the company said: ‘Grow Lab Organics is building the first purpose built medicinal cannabis production facility on the Isle of Man. We have worked extensively for several years to ensure that our objectives align with strategic objectives for the Isle of Man.’
As well as creating 60 jobs across a range of skills and salary levels, adding diversity to the economy along with revenue to the public and private sectors via income tax, NI and the multiplier effect, the company says its plans would be the first development within the Airport Technology Gateway, would provide ecological improvements through new landscaping and that it plans to only use organic fertilisers on site.
It added: ‘Over the last three years we have engaged with many project stakeholders including the Manx Utilities Authority, Department of Infrastructure, Department for Enterprise, Malew and Castletown Commissioners, and received overwhelmingly positive feedback.’
GLO said that as well as engaging with local contractors and suppliers during construction and the ongoing operations, it expected to invest ‘more than £7m’ into the business to be spent on island.
Vehicle access from the main road is via a roundabout onto dedicated access roads that lead to all sites within the Ronaldsway Business Park. Pedestrian access is from surrounding footpaths and a link directly into Ronaldsway Airport.
There are 57 parking spaces in total, including three accessible parking bays. In addition to on-site parking, there is a contract parking area on the east side of the A5 by the passenger vehicle entrance to the airport site, with good links to the Ronaldsway Business Park.
GLO added: ‘The site is an important development plot that benefits from its location next to Ronaldsway Airport, a gateway for the Isle of Man and beneficial for the rapid movement of products off the island. It presents the opportunity for a light industrial BioMed facility that will contribute to the Island’s economic future.
‘The site is screened from view by Creggan's Hill and mature boundary planting and does not present a frontage to the existing roads, railway or footpaths. Still, the opportunity exists to create a new access road and associated landscaping to connect with and improve the existing Ronaldsway Business Park’s appearance.’
GLO was granted a licence grow medicinal cannabis last year. Click here to read our story about that.
See the application here.
Separate plans to build a medicinal cannabis factory have been made by the Peel Group on the Cooil Road, on the outskirts of Douglas.
Click here to read our story about that.
Click here to read even more.