Work has begun on a large new housing estate in Castletown.

Haven Homes secured planning consent in April - upheld at appeal - to build 96 homes on land at the corner of Douglas Road and Victoria Road.

It had amended its initial application (18/00524/B) to reduce the number of homes by two and remove a second junction entrance.

The 96 dwellings comprise 25 terraced, 54 semi-detached and 17 detached, two and three-bed houses, including 24 affordable homes.

An appeal was lodged by neighbours who objected to the ’tearing up of precious countryside’. It was rejected by planning inspector Brian Sims who was given permission to travel to the island for a site visit during the Covid lockdown.