Work to begin on £4.5 million social housing scheme in Braddan

Apartments to be built at Snugborough

Demolition work will soon begin in Braddan to make way for the construction of 30 public sector homes, in a scheme that's expected to cost around £4.5 million.

The new apartments will be built over the next 18 months, on the site of the old farm and former car showroom near to the Snugborough Trading Estate.

Braddan Parish Commissioners brought the plans forward to replace the outdated properties at Cronkbourne Village, and will fund the development through loans and borrowing. 

Chairman of the local authority Andrew Jessopp says maintaining the Victorian workers' cottages in the village was costing 'far too much', and replacing them with a new development was the sensible decision long-term.

He estimates roughly £500,000 to £1 million would have to have been spent on the properties to keep them at the right standard, and the local authority was still paying off loans from previous refurbishments.

The 38 older homes are being sold to Arragon Properties, and the commissioners hope to move the remaining tenants into the new apartments at Snugborough 'as soon as possible'.

Cedar Developments won the contract to build the new apartments, and have been 'handed the keys' for the site this month, with work expected to start soon.

Heat pumps, modern insulation, provision for electric charging points and other features have been included in the designs, to ensure the new apartments are low-energy.

The planning application (18/00176/B) can be viewed online via the government's planning portal.

Mr Jessopp says some of the 24 two-bed and six one-bed flats will be offered to those waiting for homes on shared housing list for the east of the Island.

The issue of whether enough new public sector houses were being built on the Island was raised in the Manx parliament this week by Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper.

He said only twelve properties have been constructed in the last four years, whilst around 700 people remain on the waiting list for homes.

In response, Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer promised a review into public sector housing needs by the end of the year.

Local Democracy Reporter Ewan Gawne asked Mr Jessopp to explain how this major housing development came into being.