The statement
The Department of Infrastructure is to withdraw its planning application for new flood defences and highway improvements along West Quay in Ramsey.
The decision follows serious concerns raised locally about the scale and impact of the design. The Department will now start consulting again to find a solution.
Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall MHK said:
‘While we remain fully committed to protecting homes and businesses in Ramsey from the risk of flooding, there have been serious concerns about the height of the wall that had been proposed and the number of parking spaces that would have been lost as a result.
‘I have listened carefully to the views of the community. It is clear that the current design whilst offering essential flood protection to the town, is not the right solution for West Quay, and therefore we are withdrawing the scheme in its present form.’
The Department will now work with key stakeholders to assess options that balance effective flood mitigation with the needs and character of the area.
The background: a town under threat
Ramsey is the Isle of Man’s second-largest town and has a long history of tidal flooding. The West Quay sits at a particularly low point where the harbour meets the town’s commercial centre. Following several "near-miss" events and increasingly frequent overtopping, the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) identified that approximately 400 properties - including key heritage buildings and local businesses - were at "extreme risk" from a 1-in-100-year storm event, a risk only exacerbated by predicted sea-level rises.
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What was planned: the engineering solution
The proposed £10 million scheme was designed to be a robust, long-term fix. The core of the plan involved:
- The barrier: A 1.3-metre (4.26ft) high reinforced concrete sea wall running the length of West Quay.
- Urban regeneration: The DoI attempted to "sweeten" the engineering work by including a wide, high-quality granite pedestrian zone, new seating, and a dedicated cycle track.
- Structural piling: Extensive sheet piling to reinforce the quay's edge, which is currently suffering from structural fatigue.
Why it halted: the "parking and heritage" pivot
Despite the clear flood risk, the scheme faced a coordinated local campaign that eventually made the project politically untenable. The halt was triggered by three primary factors:
- The loss of parking: The redesign required the permanent removal of 52 parking spaces. In a town where quayside parking is essential for local shops and "dash-in" trade, business owners argued this would be more financially damaging than a flood.
- Visual amenity: Residents argued that a 1.3m wall would "box in" the town, destroying the historic visual link between the shops and the harbour. In a heritage-focused town like Ramsey, the aesthetic of the quay is considered a major economic asset.
- Consultation fatigue: This was the second time in four years that the DoI presented a "wall-based" solution. After the 2022 plans were scrapped, the community expected a more innovative "invisible" or "demountable" barrier. When the 2026 plans still featured a permanent high wall, the public response was swift and negative.
The decision highlights a growing trend in the industry: the "planning vs. engineering" bottleneck. Even with a £10m budget and a clear risk of flooding to 400 properties, the "social impact" (parking and aesthetics) carried enough political weight to halt construction.
[Main image credit: Denis Kabanov / shutterstock.com]