The old fire station in Castletown will be bought by the local authority if government gives its approval.

The authority has asked for government to approve it receiving a loan of £200,000 over 30 years (with repayments of £8,389 a year totalling £251,678) to buy the station for £150,000 with £50,000 for further development of ’environmental improvements’.

The town centre fire station was vacated last year when the service moved to be based at Balthane industrial estate, Ballasalla.

The former station is a ’strategic asset’ for the town, the authority said, and will be used for chargeable car parking or a commercial use; an improved bus lay by is also a possibility.

The authority ruled out developing the site as residences at present.

Costings

A plan submitted by the Department of Home Affairs (14/00099/A) to demolish the building and build housing was approved in January 2014, but this ’is not an option that the board of commissioners would seek to exercise at this present time’.

The purchase price is part of a deal with the Department of Home Affairs involving moving the police station into the civic centre at no cost to the department.

The authority pointed out costings are based on the site generating no income, however car parking would be chargeable and any commercial use would generate rental income.

Commissioners’ chairman Colin Leather said: ’It’s an important site for the town, we have secured it for generations to come.

’What would be of most benefit? Should we flatten it for a car park or use it for something else? We have asked for expressions of interest from those interested in using the building and renting it.’

Some commercial interest has already been shown and he said: ’I’m quite excited by the response.’

He added the former station’s purchase is part of an ongoing strategy to reinvent the town centre and give it a viable future.

Speaking when several major UK retailers announced high street closures in response to the changing demands of shoppers, he said: ’We are ahead of the game in Castletown, we identified retail has changed and for it to survive it has to be specialist like (town gift shop) Chree Brae, we need coffee shops and restaurants, so people go to the gym and then meet and have a coffee.

’The more footfall we bring into town the better.

’Retailers have noticed the town has turned round a corner (after years of decline and closure), there is a buzz.

’The civic centre is a community hub thanks to things like showing films on the large screen and events at the library.

’It’s not just one thing that makes the town successful, it’s many things. It’s a package, we are standing on our own two feet.’