Residents at the new Westmoreland Village development will not be eligible for disc zone parking.

This was confirmed in the House of Keys this week by Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall who said that the area was ‘at capacity’.

Mr Crookall also referred back to the design plan for the development, in which ‘one of the drivers was to encourage site users to choose alternative transport modes over single occupancy car use’.

The development, proposed for a site bordered by Demesne Road and Westmoreland Road, is being developed by the Manx Development Corporation (MDC) and comprises 133 new homes, split across apartments, townhouses, small blocks of flats and a senior living block.

It also includes a new scout hut/community pavilion, and refurbishment and extension of Crookall House as office spaces.

The proposals were passed by the narrowest of margins, with the MDC’s application being carried by the casting vote of chairman Rob Callister MHK after three votes for and three votes against.

Concerns centred on the issue of off-street parking, with only 89 car spaces being provided - when the government’s own Strategic Plan specifies it would require 214.

Speaking during Tuesday’s House of Keys sitting, Mr Crookall said: ‘Some off-street parking has been provided within the site, of course.

‘The current on street parking within the surrounding streets will not change significantly.

‘The main road will see a slight increase in on-street parking, due to the fact that a section of no waiting restrictions on the northern curb line will reduce in length as part of the overall development.

‘We are an awful long way away from sorting this issue in the area due to the timescale. If I can find a traffic plan from the planning application, I’m happy to circulate this to honourable members.’

How the development is being funded was also raised during Tuesday’s sitting, with Treasury Minister Dr Alex Allinson confirming that a loan facility of up to £50 million (with the option to rise to £100 million), has been agreed with ‘Lloyds Bank corporate markets PLC’.

Dr Allinson said: ‘I need to be careful about what I say here, as this is an ongoing planning application.

‘The appeals period hasn’t started yet, as a Section 13 agreement is still being prepared and formal planning approval won’t be provided until this is in place.

‘The cost of this development is going to be considerable, but we won’t know the exact cost until it is put out to tender.’