The Department of Infrastructure has approved a £650,000 sale of land for a new Bushy’s Brewery development in the south of the island.

The land, which is situated on Alexandra Road in Castletown, is currently owned by Castletown Town Commissioners.

A spokesperson from the commissioners said: ‘The Department of Infrastructure has approved the application from Castletown Town Commissioners, under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 1985, for the sale of an area currently comprising the commissioners' work yard, workshops, Thie Clooie and ancillary buildings for £650,000 plus VAT.

‘The approval of this petition is a key milestone in the process, bringing the realisation of this development a step closer.

‘The Town remains in ongoing dialogue with the purchaser while this process continues, and we will provide a further update regarding the timeline and the phased relocation of our own operations in due course.’

Plans for a new brewery and restaurant on the land were submitted in October last year and approved in April this year. This will see Bushy's relocating from Santon to Castletown, retaining existing buildings of which some date back to the 1860s.

Bushy's founder Martin Brunnschweiler, said: ‘I think it’s a fantastic proposal for Castletown.'

He added that Bushy’s will retain the original stone buildings at the yard and hopes the brewery and restaurant ‘will be a great asset for the town and bring more business to the area’.

In documents submitted to planners by agents Marlinspike Properties Ltd, Bushy’s said it planned to erect a new building on the existing site, with the access being from Alexandra Road and exit onto Mill Road/Milner Terrace, removing the existing railings and gate pillars.

The existing stone buildings on the site will be retained, refurbished and converted to the brewery office, while a new extension to the south of the existing buildings will provide outdoor eating and drinking space.

The workshop will become the restaurant with up to 90 covers, with a further outdoor seating area which can accommodate up to an approximately further 60 people. The site also has plans for 18 car parking spaces, with others provided for staff and delivery vehicles.

Chairman of the commissioners, Beth Cannan, said: ‘It’s an exciting time for the town to see this new development taking shape.

‘While the re-establishment of a brewery in Castletown is a significant development in its own right, the longer-term creation of a brewery tap will not only provide employment opportunities but also create an additional attraction in the town, complementing our existing heritage sites.

‘We would like to thank Bushy's for their ongoing belief in the potential of Castletown as a centre for their operations.’