The Isle of Man Government has indicated it is prepared to sell the Manx Electric Railway’s historic Derby Castle Depot & Workshops which date back to 1893. The depot is located on the former Port-E-Vada creek which was filled in to allow the Douglas & Laxey Coast Electric Tramway to build its depot and power station.
Chapman Chartered Surveyors have been engaged to market the cleared site of the ill-fated Summerland Centre and the adjacent tram depot and workshops should any developer show any interest in acquiring the entire site.
Any deal which involves the sale of the MER’s Depot is dependent upon any potential developer providing a replacement storage and maintenance facility for the tramway. It is not immediately obvious where sufficient land currently exists in close proximity to the MER’s southern terminal, to accommodate adequate tramcar storage and maintenance facilities.
The Summerland site presents a number of significant challenges to any potential developer, not least the major work required to stabilise the cliff face.
The text from Chapman’s sale brochure is reproduced in full below:
“The former Summerland site, shown on the indicative site plan, is one of the most important sites on the Isle of Man. The property provides an exciting chance to acquire a prominent development site which has potential for a variety of uses, subject to planning. Recent schemes along the Promenade have created a variety of good quality apartments but the site has further potential for leisure facilities and hotel development. The site also has potential for development to provide modern care home accommodation. It is expected that the selected purchaser will provide a high quality development which complements and enhances the attractive waterfront setting and Douglas as a whole.
Offers are sought for the purchase of the freehold interest by way of private treaty on a subject to planning basis. The vendor does not undertake to accept the highest or any offer received.
The Department may consider development proposals which involve the purchase and redevelopment of the adjacent MER Depot on the basis that existing or similar facilities will be provided within an enlarged scheme. Please contact us for additional information.”
The full sales brochure can be downloaded HERE.
UPDATE: Since this article was published on the MERS website and Facebook page on Tuesday 26th, the following comments have been received:
Butch Buttery: The purchase & development of the tram depot makes perfect sense if viewed through the lens of rent-seeking value-extracting predatory capitalism
Some twenty years ago Dandara bought the Douglas Corporation refuse depot at Lake Road along with the former morgue. Ostensibly this was a completion of a proposal to develop the entire river frontage comprising of the E.B Christian and Steam Saw Mill sites
Quay West was built soon after the purchase, but the timber yard is only being developed now. The Corpy depot and morgue have lain derelict ever since.
However, the developer built the Corpy a brand new shiny depot on the IOM Business Park, which the ratepayers of Douglas now rent from the developer
By the time anything gets built on the old site, then new one will have paid for itself many times over
What a superb opportunity for a developer to build a glamorous new “Transport Hub” and collect rent for eternity off the Manx taxpayer
The government will of course declare a great victory of offloading the ghoulish eyesore of the Summerland site , but with profit already guaranteed by the taxpayer there will be no rush to throw up a seawater drenched block of flats
John Hewitt: This is not an April Fool's joke, is it? I can't believe what I'm reading!!
Ken Ackroyd: It's not even a new idea. This same offer for sale has been on the table since at least 2010. Just Google Summerland site Isle of Man sale 2010 and you will see the news items. Nothing happened. They've just dusted it off.
Richard Booth: The Depot is built on the infilled Port e Vada Creek; the depot and equipment will only be a minor loading. Compaction when filled is unlikely but it would be a big engineering task, excavation etc, piling. Add the cost of building a new depot elsewhere surely dictates a very low sale price for the additional area?
Christopher James Mort: Bit daft if you ask me
Jeremy Vick: Nothing like selling the crown jewels.
Fıaċra De Tóıbín: The depot should be kept as it is; it’s an icon of Douglas.
Simon Turner: Is this why they keep suggesting running the electric tram over the horse tramway? Short extension down to Tesco and bus/rail depot
Simon Flatau: Clever. For tram buffs take a look at Wood Lane Depot London Underground, the Tube offered a deal like this and got a state of the art brand new bigger depot out of it beneath the development. If it helps safeguard the trams future, I'm for it.
Adam Vabis: It's a shame we can't all crowd fund and buy it then leave it as it is and keep the trams line original
Phil Grainger: Regardless of any wording, I have grave doubts that the IOM could word any contract in such a way as to make “desirable” things a COMPULSORY part of the development AT THE OUTSET
Richard Moules: Transport authorities seem to like this sort of unrealistic proposal. I gather that officially TFL have the LTM Depot at Acton on a list of potential disposal sites. Where and at what cost a replacement facility could be provided is a mind blowing thought!
Richard Moules: The cost of building a new maintenance and storage facility for the MER would surely be prohibitive?
Luke Richardson: Can’t stand any more of this… Absolute idiots…
John Corlett: All I Can say is that’s CRIMINAL can this shower in government stoop any lower in the destruction of our heritage.They are a national disgrace
Andrew Le Prevost: With regards to the statement "It is not immediately obvious where sufficient land currently exists in close proximity to the MER’s southern terminal, to accommodate adequate tramcar storage and maintenance facilities", I presume that the intention would be underneath, so in the same location as present, or elsewhere within the site, but enabling building of housing etc above the sheds. A bit like the Lord Street Bus Station site where developers are building the bus station under their new structure.
Lesley Bayliss: KEEP YOUR ROBBING HANDS OFF MER DEPOT, THEY WANT REMOVE TRAM STORAGE AREA. LAND GRAB AND ALSO THEYVE WANTED RID OF MER FOR YRS
Lesley Bayliss: Didn't happen when they advertised the same thing previously in 2010. Times are much harder now, so I won't hold my breath.
Duncan Anderson: I would be inclined to sell the Summerland site for a reasonable development of hotel, social housing and retail. And leave the MER depot and workshop intact.
Brian Yates: They’ll be cutting the MER back to Onchan next. As logical as stopping the horse tram half way round the prom
Brian Yates don't bet on, the "new" horse tram tracks were installed with the clearance for two MER cars to pass I believe.
Dazzer Denton: Is this even legal? Considering the historical heritage side of it, not to mention it's still a working depot?
Robin Mowat: Anything to do with making the former Summerland site a more attractive offer if combined with the MER depot?
Lesley Bayliss: definitely. Keep it as it is.
Graham Radcliffe: Remember 1976 when the whole government lost their jobs at the election when they shut the northern section of the line? Time for the public to teach the current batch of lunatics in the House of Keys a severe lesson they seem to have forgotten about. Any backing the MER bit have to be ousted at the ballot box, no exceptions.
Aaron Brown: Unbelievable
Michael Gilmore: Is the footpath to the top of the hill being maintained or closed off.
Fred Quaye: This is like something from April 1st ! and I note the comment “to complement and enhance the water front “ is this like those ridiculous led lights that have been installed along the prom ? Do they complement and enhance the water front ? if you don’t know the answer then I’ll tell you NO ! they don’t, not one little bit. Get the festoons back up, that’s what you see and expect on a waterfront The Isle of Man is sadly going downhill here, such a shame for future generations.
James Mallon: Fabulous idea and I can see how it could work and also make the it an attractive area that encompasses sympathy for history and nostalgia whilst moving forward with much needed redevelopment.
John Quaye: More madness, what is wrong with our elected representatives that approve of this scheme? We have lost enough of our heritage and history to developers without losing this site, home to two of the oldest operating tramcars in the world.
Mark Gardner: Hard to see where any suitable land might be available.
Richard Hill: Shocking news