A hotel, supermarket and more drive-through restaurant outlets could be built on one of the main roads into Douglas.

The Milestone site on Peel Road, between Isle of Man Newspapers’ headquarters and the former Walton’s TV showroom, is one of 35 additional development sites being considered for the new Eastern Area plan, it was revealed this week.

The 1.22-hectare site is currently used for car showrooms and bulk retail supplies.

But agent for the landowners Beaumanx Property Ltd and Buchanan Services Ltd is requesting permission for future development to include a hotel, supermarket, drive-through restaurant outlets, petrol garage and above ground floor residential use.

Planners say the land could be developed by 2026 assuming current business uses cease to function or are relocated. The site would be available immediately subject to existing tenancy leases ending, they say

’The site is currently covered with existing buildings, which would need to be cleared. However, structures are not complex and therefore considered achievable,’ they add.

Vacant brownfield land in Little Switzerland, opposite the site of the former Victoria Road prison, could also be developed immediately, say planners.

The 5.5-acre site once home to a holiday camp in the island’s tourism heyday and now owned by Shoprite owner Isle of Man Enterprises has been used as a ’temporary’ car park since the mid-1990s.

Shoprite says it could be developed for mixed employment and residential use, and suggests a retirement community, incorporating a doctor, dentist, hairdresser and additional leisure facilities.

It says the island lacks a ’quality, upscale retirement community offering sea views and a range of properties (apartments, town houses and bungalows), limited community and lifestyle provision on site’.

Shoprite says another option would be housing for high net worth individuals similar to Montreux and Lucerne Court which is developed previously.

There is currently planning permission for four small office units.

Planners say that depending on the scale of development, a new access road onto Victoria Road may be required.

Other sites put forward include greenfield land at Cronkbourne cricket club and playing fields in Tromode.

These are deemed developable for housing but only if their existing use ends.

Planners could identify no barriers to development on 18-acre greenfield site at Lower Ballasharry, Crosby, earmarked for possible family homes and a convenience store.

Some 16 family homes are proposed for grazing land at Mountview, Glen Vine Road, which was deemed a potential reserve site.

Also earmarked as a potential reserve site is land at the former Ballagarey Nursery and field next to Greeba Avenue, Marown where 35 homes and a possible shop are proposed by the landowner.

But most of the other additional sites failed at first screening or after detailed assessment.

The Cabinet Office is currently preparing the draft Eastern Area plan.

There are three weeks left until the public consultation closes into the 35 additional sites under consideration.

A ’preliminary publicity’ process took place last year, asking for public feedback on 187 proposed sites in Braddan, Douglas, Laxey, Lonan, Marown, Onchan and Santon.

During the process, the 35 additional sites were suggested.

Details are available at gov.im/potentialsites.

â?¢ Isle of Man Newspapers has asked both Aldi and Lidl whether they have plans to set up store in Douglas.

Both budget supermarket chains told us they currently had no plans to do so.