Enterprise Minister Alex Allinson has admitted plans to progress the £2.1 million airport technology gateway have ’taken longer than expected’.

With plans introduced in 2015, the airport technology gateway will be a ’high-quality landscaped business park’ or ’economic zone’ connecting Balthane, the Freeport and Ronaldsway Airport which will look to attract businesses to set up bases there.

Currently, there is detailed permission for the enabling works but nothing has progressed since.

The minister explained the plans had been delayed and said: ’This is because of a range of issues which have affected delivery, such as the number of other capital projects and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

’However, since the cross-departmental project team has been in place, delivery has been accelerated.’

The government only owns a relatively small proportion of the land, so it is working with private owners to incentivise the plots being marketed and occupied, according to Dr Allinson.

He added: ’In terms of the timescale, we are now moving forward looking at the original business case for the enabling works, trying to establish that those are provided despite the increased costs in construction and delays in getting people to do the work.’

He explained that the government will then work to provide incentives for the private providers to market their plots to firms that may wish to relocate to the area.

Dr Allinson said: ’In terms of seeking extra financial support for continuing the development of this area, the department is working quite closely with other areas of government to see what is required.

’But also it is very important because we are talking about rather large amounts of public money here - and taxpayers’ money - that we actually provide what is needed by those people who want to move into the area, rather than having a top-down approach and doing what we think should be done to the area.’