Handover paves way for £25m 'Quayside North' project

Lord Street car park now permanently closed

The handover of a site, subject to a £25 million development, took place today in the Island's capital.

Lord Street car park has now been permanently closed to the public, paving the way for work to begin on the 'Quayside North' project.

It comes almost a year after planners approved proposals for the omniplex, which will include a seven-screen cinema, a hotel, apartments and retail spaces.

As of six o'clock this morning (4 May) the site was handed over to developers Kane Limited, which is owned by the businessman Stephen Bradley.

The firm has been responsible for builds in Douglas, namely retail construction for the Arcadia Group on Strand Street, having built new spaces for Topshop, River Island, Next and also Motorsports Merchandise.

For 18 years the area has acted as a 150-space car park for the Department of Infrastructure.

Alongside a Travelodge Hotel and a Vue Cinema however, there will be a multi-storey car park of over 200 spaces.

During the application process, talks were held with Douglas Council over the prospect of running the multi-storey car park, but those negotiations have since 'dried up' according to council leader David Christian.

Currently, staff from the DoI remain on-site as work is underway to remove the pay-and-display booth.

There is still pedestrian access across the site to the bus stops, but a no entry sign and notice of closure is in place on Parade Street West.