A planning consultant has criticised the government of being ’underhanded’ over its handling of a bypass scheme.

Patricia Newton, of South Cape, Laxey, said the project, which will see the demolition of a 200-year-old cottage, ’rode roughshod’ over development proposals.

Mrs Newton, a member of the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society, presented a Tynwald Day petition in 2017 calling for more protection for the island’s historical buildings.

Planning consent was granted in July to homebuilder Dandara for a massive housing and bypass scheme for Ballasalla (19/00137/B).

But the planning application does not include the whole bypass.

It will be the responsibility of the government to obtain land at the southern end necessary to complete the bypass route, accessed by a new roundabout at Balthane Corner.

Mrs Newton said: ’The planning consent includes provision for a bypass - but a one ended one.

’While a link is shown at the Douglas Road end, no link was shown at the Castletown/Balthane end.

’Was it legal to give the whole development permission when the complete bypass upon which phases of the development are dependent is not shown on the application plans?’

Balthane Cottage has a plaque above a front window, with the date 1785.

Its owner Grant Taylor said the deal for the Department of Infrastructure to buy his cottage is ’pretty much done’ and he’d accepted its offer which he said was the best he’d get without going down the compulsory purchase route.

Mrs Newton said Balthane Cottage was still in ’remarkably traditional form’, and the year 1785 could have been the date of the marriage of the Bridson family who owned it.

She said: ’It is now said to be going to be acquired by the Department of Infrastructure and demolished, regardless of whether any proof of its need for any alignment let alone planning application for a road link in that area.

’However by the time any application comes along it’s probable Balthane Cottage will be gone - another example of heritage destroyed by government in advance of the planning process and the opportunity for the public to have any say.’

She added: ’That’s the way government works. Underhand.

’In recommending approval of this proposal the planners have yet again set an appalling precedent for riding roughshod over inadequately designed development proposals, and letting government departments get away with it.’

Dandara’s development of 282 houses will fund the bypass which has long been mooted to help reduce traffic congestion in the village.

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