An MHK fears the Department of Infrastructure has not properly consulted with Castletown residents over their plans to regenerate the town centre.

The DoI has submitted the planning application [21/00471/B] for the refurbishment of Malew and Arbory Street.

The proposed works involve the resurfacing of the streets (removing concrete block paving stones), renewing street lights and adding new street furniture.

Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse said he feared the DoI had not learned from last November’s rejection of its regeneration plans for Michael Street in Peel, following opposition by business owners.

He said he feared the Castletown plans would suffer the same fate, adding that he was ’genuinely concerned about how the DoI were behaving’.

Mr Moorhouse said that while he understood the need for a regeneration of the streets, whose surface was old and worn in some parts, his concerns were around the lack of communication between the DoI and stakeholders in the town.

He said: ’I strongly believe a person from the DoI should be given responsibility for contacting residents and businesses.

’Most (residents) concerns are relatively small and could be resolved quickly.

’The plans will improve the look of the streets and more importantly improve safety.

’(But) local people really do need to see a timeline of when things will happen.’

After the pandemic’s impact, some businesses owners were particularly concerned about disruption to the Christmas period, he said.

This week Infrastructure Minister Tim Baker addressed this by saying that having a planning application ’doesn’t necessarily imply a particular timescale to do the work.

He said the ’exciting’ plans would ’rejuvenate the town’s retail streets and build on the success of the Square’.

Mr Moorhouse had asked Mr Baker what consultation the DoI had undertaken with concerned parties in Castletown.

Mr Baker responded that the DoI had worked in ’close coordination’ with Castletown Commissioners, saying that the local authority represented the ’overall decision of the town’ and that the department trusted it to represent the local community.

He added that plans for the works had been on display since March, and that the Commissioners had discussed the plans with retail businesses.

In addition, he said that people concerned could also submit their views directly via the government’s planning system, as was ’absolutely standard and normal’.

Mr Moorhouse called this response concerning, saying that the minister had previously told him the DoI would nominate someone to discuss concerns with townspeople directly (pointing out to the Manx Independent that this was done for the Douglas prom works), but this had not materialised, adding that the concerned parties who had contacted him were feeling ’alienated’.

’After years of consultations being held for a huge range of issues, suddenly the Department of Infrastructure has signalled that they are no longer listening.’ He concluded.

The town’s other MHK, Home Affairs Minister Graham Cregeen said traders were pleased about the plans to brighten up the area and the only concerns had been the lack of notification.