Mij Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 OK I realise this is a bit of a cheek given that I don't live on the island, so I quite understand if you want to tell me where to stick my 'moan'. But here goes: I've been coming back and fore to the Isle of Man for over 11 years, and I love the place and people and always champion it when back at home. One of the things that has been so exciting has been the investment being made in the island - the restoration of the Gaiety and the Villa Marina - the fabulous museums and, yes, the gentrification of the Victorian residential areas. Every time I visit I do my own little tour to see what has changed, what has developed etc. We've just spent a lovely Christmas on the island. It was actually the first visit for me to have visited since Easter, but what perplexed me was this time how slowly things seem to have been going in terms of plans and developments. Castletown is still a building site at Callow's Yard; Summerland is still a vacant plot; the bus station area in Douglas is still bleak; the pedestrianisation of the north harbour (looks great where it has been finished) is still happening and seems to be taking an age. It is in quite a contrast to towns and cities in the UK where it feels like the pace of development has been at breakneck speed despite much slower growth than the island. I never made it to the north of the island this time but I appreciate that the economic boom has been largely confined to the south. What is worse is that, despite what I keeping reading about the pace of economic growth of the island and how it is wealthier than many parts of the UK - I just didn't sense this. Chunks of its towns still look reminiscent of the worst areas of economic deprivation in the UK - Strand Street is still pretty shabby, Some of the delapidated shop fronts in Port Erin looked more like Merthyr Tydfil (one of the poorest parts of the UK), and there seems to be a complete absence of the 'cafe culture' that now dominates most town centres in the UK and has played a big role in revitalising them. Is it me or is the pace of change and development really now at crawling pace. If so, is this an issue on the island or not? Anyway, like I said, sorry if this comes across as offensive - I love the island whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minxie Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Traa dy Liooar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ai_Droid Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Is it me or is the pace of change and development really now at crawling pace. If so, is this an issue on the island or not? Anyway, like I said, sorry if this comes across as offensive - I love the island whatever. Don't forget, we're only small. How many 80k population towns in the UK have capital expense schemes like Iris and the new prison? We're aslo paying for a botched electricity supplier, which I gather has buggered up a bunch of funds destined for other places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Login Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Is it me or is the pace of change and development really now at crawling pace. If so, is this an issue on the island or not? I am not sure it is you as the speed some of the projects you mention are proceeding at is at best snail pace. North Quay being one example where it is taking the best part of two years I think to install some railing the length and relay the pavements and roads. I have to admit I do find that embarrasing. I am not sure it is a question of money in those cases but a question of working practices. Yes maybe the workers are not exactly breaking the backs but presuming they are it is more a question of only having a few work man on the job. This seems to be the IoM practice, a few workman on lots of jobs when in my opinion it would be better to have lots of workman on a few jobs, blitz it, get it done and move on. I always remember M&S being built, which was a private job, at around the same time as the New Government offices went up. OK it might have been an easier build but it was noticeable how much quicker one appeared to progress than the other. Some of the projects and places though it is down to money and ideas e.g. bus station, Summerland site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Just as well you didn't make it to Port St. Mary - talk about a ghost town... very few shops left and lots of places boarded up. Although a lot of the un down boarded places do belong to one man who I believe is reluctant to either sell them or do them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triskelion Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I think most people would agree with the views already expressed here: There isn't that many people, and the large capital commitments the Government is involved in limit this kind of expenditure. There are efforts being made, and much has been achieved. The re-building of Pulrose, the Crescent centre's being replaced, the Sefton guy is planning to re-do the Palace area, the DLGE is trying to get Clagh Vane replaced and more. Of course, there are projects that were poorly thought through, or lacking in vision. Douglas Town 'Square' being one of these. Though it would have been much better to compulsory purchase either the row of shops opposite the Post Office, or the stretch running from that sandwhich shop to Julian Graves, lavel them, and so open up a bit, instead we have it hidden away and built in such a way as to limit alternative use. The problem with the Summerland site is that, when it was put out to tender, those interested essentially wanted the Government to pay for all of it, which the latter felt it couldn't justify, which is fair enough. Also, the Gvt wanted to put a TT Museum there, which I thought would be much better situated at either the Grandstand or Ramsey. With the Bus terminus, I know there are plans, but again, money is limited. With the possible exception of Ramsey, most of the settlements on the Island have, to a large extent become communter villages for Douglas. There is very little to draw people to Port St Mary, and its geography does not easily lend itself to the construction of new facilities. Port Erin is the same outside the summer months. Prospective and sitting MHKs have made the point that moving Government departments out of Douglas would help a lot, but nothing seems happen with that I don't remember having read it in the transcripts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alph3 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I'm probably talking outta me arse here (and I'm sure fellow members will tell me if that is the case) but I find that the islands building work comes in waves. Nothing happens at Christmas 'cause everyone is off getting lashed somewhere and then there is the buildup for the month of January where the materials are delivered allowing a flurry of activity in the months after. Then TT hits and things really slow down again before the mad dash for the Christmas break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I am not sure it is you as the speed some of the projects you mention are proceeding at is at best snail pace. North Quay being one example where it is taking the best part of two years I think to install some railing the length and relay the pavements and roads. I have to admit I do find that embarrasing. Yes, North Quay is taking an amazing amount of time to complete. What the heck are they doing down there? I feel sure a private contractor could have finished that ages ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ai_Droid Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Yes, North Quay is taking an amazing amount of time to complete. What the heck are they doing down there? I feel sure a private contractor could have finished that ages ago. Go past there every day, and there's very little work going on, a lot of the time there's nobody there at all. My guess is the stonework is by some kind of specialised contracter and he's only got a few guys working for him. Same with the villa colonade work, very slow, one or two guys at a time doing the paving stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemonday Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Anyway, like I said, sorry if this comes across as offensive Not at all, IMPO I think you make some valid points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTF Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I am not sure it is you as the speed some of the projects you mention are proceeding at is at best snail pace. North Quay being one example where it is taking the best part of two years I think to install some railing the length and relay the pavements and roads. I have to admit I do find that embarrasing. Yes, North Quay is taking an amazing amount of time to complete. What the heck are they doing down there? I feel sure a private contractor could have finished that ages ago. finished ages ago at 5 times the cost and done to a shite standard of bodging. iris, powerstation, new hospital all spring to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 As for shabby and deserted shops, retail wise the Island needs around another 20-30,000 people to make it spin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feelslikeitshould Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Don't forget, we're only small. How many 80k population towns in the UK have capital expense schemes like Iris and the new prison? And where there are places that have similar schemes underway, they are generally funded by PFI and leased back to the UK Government. In the case of the PFI, it's in their interest to finish as quickly and with a lower cost as possible, they specialise in what they do as they are very much industry based. Unfortunately the IOM government specialise in nothing and take all their advise from people who benefit greatly from the job costing more and taking longer. We have the benefit of being small enough to have control over al our interests and that seems to come at a price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Go past there every day, and there's very little work going on, a lot of the time there's nobody there at all. My guess is the stonework is by some kind of specialised contracter and he's only got a few guys working for him. I've only been there a handful of times for Elliots and Newsons but it must be really awkward for businesses there having little passing traffic. I'm surprised they aren't kicking up a fuss to get things finished Same with the villa colonade work, very slow, one or two guys at a time doing the paving stuff. I'd forgotten about that one, that's another that is taking forever. I wonder how long it took the built the original colonnade? You'd think with the closed land / single file traffic they'd have pushed to get it finished ages ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 finished ages ago at 5 times the cost I didn't realise that they'd finished it. I saw the barriers everywhere and thought they were still working on it. Is the whole of North Quay now open again? I've avoided the area for ages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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