Douglas Council has accused the Department of Home Affairs on reneging on a deal over the former police station house in Willaston.

Leader of the council David Christian said that the police had agreed a deal with the council over the stations, which would have seen a small ’cop shop’ provided by the council as part of a planned development.

However, he accused the DHA of reneging on that deal and now demands full market price for the station and adjoining house.

He said that as a result of this, the planned development will have to take place over two stages, further increasing the cost to Douglas rate payers.

He said: ’We should be doing as one scheme, to do it as two just doesn’t make sense.

’I understand the department wanting full market value, but we had an agreement and they, not us, they, have reneged on that agreement.’

His fellow councillors supported Mr Christian’s sentiments.

Several also noted that DHA Minister Bill Malarkey MHK, when a councillor, had agreed in full to the deal for the police station.

iomtoday.co.im contacted Mr Malarkey and received a response from Julian Lalor-Smith, deputy chief executive of DHA.

Mr Lalor-Smith said: ’The matter to which you refer is to be discussed at the August department meeting and no further comment can be made until this discussion has taken place.’

A council agenda states: ’The first standalone phase [of development] to be completed on the church and flats sites excluding the police house yields 37 two-bed units.

’The second phase, to be actioned if the police house becomes available in the future would yield a further 12 two-bed units.’

The cost for phase one is estimated at £6.6m.