The Isle of Man government has ditched plans to zone Jurby airfield as a future replacement for Ronaldsway as the island’s national airport.

In a dramatic u-turn, the Department of Infrastructure has confirmed it has removed its redevelopment plans from the draft Area Plan for the North.

But it has not ruled out expansion of Jurby airfield at some point in the long-term future.

It said: ‘The department has revised its submission to the Area Plan, removing references to a potential future expansion of the airfield in Jurby.

‘There are currently no plans to expand the airfield in Jurby.  Continuing to protect the land ensures the island has a long-term backup to Ronaldsway Airport, should the need arise.’

Neighbours had feared their homes could be demolished when plans emerged to potentially develop Jurby airfield as the island’s new national airport.

They said the Department of Infratructure’s suggestion to replace Ronaldsway had come out of the blue - and the rezoning of land to expand the runway at Jurby had been introduced into the draft Area Plan without any consultation.

At least three homes stand in the way of the runway expansion including those of Vicki Wade and Fern Callister.

Vicki told Media Isle of Man last month: ‘I don’t understand how it got this far without any consultation with affected parties. It just dropped out of nowhere.’

Fern said at the time: ‘If these plans happen, and yes it might not go ahead, our house will essentially be worth nothing. We would go into negative equity.’

Following the DoI’s announcement, Vicki said: ‘We, some of the affected parties, have worked round the clock to achieve the first objective, keeping the runway extension out of the draft plan.

‘Thank you to everyone for their support.

‘As is clear from the supplementary submission released by the Cabinet Office and DoI, we realise this is only a stay of execution, however.

‘We will continue to work together with other stakeholders to collate information to continue the fight for our homes should the new Masterplan include any continued threat to Jurby and the wider community in the north of the island.’

The Jurby airfield site is currently a protected wildlife habitat, having been designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest in 2004.

Jurby Parish Commissioners was due to hold a public meeting on August 12 at Jurby Parish Hall to discuss the airfield plans. The government had insisted there were no proposals at this stage and the DoI was simply seeking to safeguard the area around the current airfield to ensure no development is allowed that could get in the way of its future use as a national airport should that be required.

But David Bellamy of Manx Wildlife Trust discovered that the plans were for a whole new runway to the south of current disused one and at 2.64km in length, it would be roughly twice the length.

He was the first to raise what he thought was a mapping area when he attended the public inquiry into the area plan.

He pointed out that the Environmental Constraints map showed the former airfield site at Jurby as a designated nature reserve but the Infrastructure Constraints map showed it zoned for a new runway.

In its statement, which was issued at 5.40pm on Friday, the DoI said: ‘Safeguarding for the Jurby Airfield and the surrounding land has been in place since 2004.

‘The DoI will engage with the local community in the autumn to fully explain the need to continue to safeguard land around the airfield and what expansion, if any, might mean for those living and working in and around Jurby. 

‘The Airport Masterplan, which is currently being developed, will explore plans for improving and enhancing the current facilities in the south of the island and will include the role that Jurby Airfield currently plays and what may be required in the long-term future to ensure the island’s air connectivity is protected.’