Plans for a major development of the long-vacant Lord Street bus station site have been withdrawn.

Developer Wyyttavin Ltd has pulled out but a second company behind the project says it still wants to proceed and will be submitting a new planning application next month.

Wyyttavin submitted proposals for a mixed-use development including multiscreen cinema, offices and 85 flats in July last year (24/00586/B).

Controversially, one of the planned apartment blocks would have been up to 14-storeys high, making it one of the tallest buildings in Douglas.

But now Wyyttavin has formally withdrawn its application.

In an email sent to the planning office on April 2, Wyyttavin Ltd director Georgina Charleton wrote: ‘Wyyttavin Ltd is withdrawing the planning application. If you can please confirm that this application is withdrawn fully at your earliest convenience.’

Only in January the applicant’s agents had told planners that they were working on outstanding items which would be submitted in the near future.

These included provision of affordable housing and public open space, an update on flood risk and concerns over possible impact on the Douglas Bay marine nature reserve.

Co-developer Lord Street Developments Ltd said in a statement: ‘Due to private and unforeseen personal circumstances, Wyyttavin Ltd is no longer in a position to take the project forward and made the difficult decision to withdraw its application.

‘We can, however, confirm that plans to progress the development on Lord Street are still very much going ahead and a resubmission to planning is expected by the end of this month.

‘With respect to Wyyttavin Ltd, we are conscious of their privacy at this time and kindly ask others to do the same and refrain from any speculation.

‘We have shared Wyyttavin Ltd's desire from the beginning, to transform the site and create a landmark development of high-quality, for the benefit of the Isle of Man residents and visitors.’

The bus station site has been awaiting redevelopment ever since it was demolished in 2001 to create a ‘temporary’ pay and display car park.

Wyyttavin’s application had included proposals for five new bus stands on Lord Street each with a waiting area to replace the current shelters.

An indoor bus information centre with seating, toilets, heating and changing facilities were also proposed as part of a plan to improve facilities for passengers.

When it submitted its application, Wyyttavin said the site could be up and running in two years if it got the go ahead from planners.

Other schemes for this site have come and gone.

Planning consent for an application by Kane Ltd (18/00846/B) comprising a seven-screen cinema, 80-bed Travelodge, 20 flats and a cafe/restaurant was approved in 2019.

The Quayside North scheme had been making strong progress before Covid hit and then key tenants had to withdraw.

In 2008 Askett Hawk was granted a 999 year lease on the site after outlining plans for a £70m four-star hotel and apartments development.

But this scheme came to nothing when the developer pulled out five years later.