A Jurby resident is applying for planning permission (21/01308/B) to build a replica Viking settlement in the parish.

It would consist of a wooden Viking longhouse, Viking longship, and a Viking-themed log store, utility shed, solar battery shed and office.

Christian Hall, who owns the land at the Jurby Road, Sandygate, said: ’The island’s Norse heritage has always intrigued me and I have a keen interest in Norse/Viking history and mythology.

’There is little in the way of interactive historical attractions on the Isle of Man, and not very much to celebrate our Norse history.’

Mr Hall said that as his land is currently zoned for agricultural/horticultural use, he believes the project will require a change of this to tourism/retail.

He added that his private venture will run as a ’non-profit’, with self-employed craftspeople providing the specialist interactive workshops around the site.

Mr Hall hopes that the site will generate enough income ’to keep the site in good condition and possibly expand the list of features in the future’.

He explained his environmental goals further: ’My vision is to create a carbon positive ecosystem, intertwined with a permaculture (working with, rather than against nature) philosophy that nothing is wasted, the composting toilets (and composting farm) will feed the willow coppices which provide the wood for the charcoal that cooks the food that creates the compost’.

It is planned that the entire site will be powered by a 5kw solar farm in the field Mr Hall owns next door.

In addition, there will be the willow/coppice plantation that will provide the building materials and renewable source of fuel.

There are also plans for a wind turbine.

Mr Hall further explained that the site would be split into two mains areas, one public and one private.

The public areas would include:

l A shop and cafe, which would sell handmade local items and ’possibly tea/coffee and snacks’.

l A blacksmith/foundry, run by a trained blacksmith, which would be interactive and ’show how the vikings created their tools and weapons’. Renewable fuel for the blacksmith would be provided by a charcoal kiln, which is not accessible to the public.

l A ’chieftain’s hall’ which would be used as a classroom, for indoor activities and for functions (like weddings).

The wooded area will include several clearings where other ’artisans/craftspeople’ can put on workshops and displays which are in keeping with the Viking theme.

In the woods will also be a recreation of a Viking/Norse temple/church where people ’assembled every year to pay tribute to the gods’.

The last public area would be over a wooden bridge into a place called ’FolkVangr’ (old Norse for ’field of the people’), which Mr Hall explained was an ’alternative heaven for those who did not wish to dine with the gods in Valhalla’ and where he intends to build ’an authentic Norse farmstead with a store barn and small animal pens’.

All public access to the site will be on foot, with emergency and maintenance access via private lanes.