An historic Manx stone cottage has been reduced to rubble.

Demolition of Balthane Cottage took place on Tuesday to make way for a new roundabout and Ballasalla bypass scheme.

The bypass will serve the new Reayrt Mie housing estate where building work has begun again following the lifting of the Covid restrictions on construction.

Planning consent for the 282-home development was secured in August last year (19/00137/B).

Construction of a bypass has long been mooted to help reduce traffic congestion in the village.

It will begin with a new roundabout at Glashen Hill on Douglas Road, cross the Steam Railway on a bridge and then rejoin the existing main road at a roundabout at Balthane Corner.

Balthane Cottage was purchased by the government.

Ahead of its demolition, graffiti was daubed on the front wall of Balthane Cottage with the message: ’1785 - 2019 RIP’. It was soon painted over.

Planning consultant Patricia Newton has criticised the government for being ’underhanded’ over its handling of a bypass scheme.

She pointed out that the planning consent includes provision only for a ’one-ended’ bypass and that the demolition of the old cottage ’rides roughshod over development proposals’.