DHSC says Braddan Commissioners don’t have permission to use hospital roads for leisure centre

The Department of Health and Social Care says it hasn’t given permission for Braddan Commissioners to use hospital roads for its new leisure centre.

Original plans included access through the hospital grounds, however after building works started the DHSC requested alternative access to the centre.

The DHSC says it has to ‘prioritise’ the safety of staff and patients, as well as access for emergency service vehicles, and there are ‘safety concerns’ including a lack of street lighting and increased traffic on the site.

The planning application for the dedicated road from Ballaoates was supported by the department because it ‘addressed’ the risks outlined by itself and Manx care.

This was approved in May last year.

A licence could be given to the commissioners, at ‘no cost’, to build the dedicated access road which the department claims it is ‘committed to’ providing.

Braddan Commissioners says it will have the building handed over to it next week with the aim of opening the centre as soon as ‘physically and legally possible’.

The Roundhouse has been delayed a number of times which the local authority has attributed to inflation and delays with sourcing building materials.

It’s also had problems with meeting the cost of the development, which was first budgeted for just over £6 million, but has since had to ask the Department of Infrastructure for approval to take out a loan.