The developer behind ambitious plans to build a 20,000 square feet home at the former Howstrake holiday camp has asked for more time, after asbestos was discovered.

Allprop Ltd, of Ballasalla, was granted approval in principle to build a home with ancillary staff and office accommodation in 2015 (15/00636A).

But a reserved matters application was required to cover the detailed design. It was originally due to have been submitted within two years.

Although there has been interest in the development at local and international level, a clean-up operation after the discovery of asbestos took longer than expected.

Peter Brett Associates, on behalf of Allprop, has written to government planners requesting a variance to the conditions attached to the initial approval, effectively to extend it by two years, to allow more time for a reserved matters application (17/00910).

Director Nick Skelton says: ’Considerable interest has been shown in the site’s development, from interests in the Isle of Man, the UK and overseas.

’One firm offer was received but was placed on hold due to the discovery of asbestos on site.’

Marketing of the site had to be postponed after asbestos was discovered in remaining structures, he explains.

’This required a lengthy clean-up process, which was further delayed due to the difficulty of finding a qualified contractor on the Isle of Man.’

It meant marketing could not re-start until July but since that date negotiations have taken place with interested parties.

The site is on the market with Garforth Gray, which describes the area as ’iconic’.

It refers to permission being granted for a ’signature residential building of over 20,000 square feet’.

The outline approval is for an ’open plan’ design but the buyer would have the ’flexibility to develop the detailed design of the house to their own specification’.