More than 100 people attended a crunch public meeting over the future of Jurby Airfield.

Last month, it transpired that the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) has put forward a ‘rezoning’ proposal which could have eventually seen the runway at Jurby Airfield expanded.

Initially put forward in the Draft North and West Area Plan Inquiry, the scheme would have allowed for the airfield to be extended in a bid to develop the land as the island’s new national airport, replacing Ronaldsway.

The airports division previously said that current development at Ronaldsway is constrained by the size of the site and is at risk from rising sea levels.

But in a dramatic u-turn last week, the DoI confirmed it had removed its redevelopment plans from the draft Area Plan for the North. That didn’t stop residents cramming into the parish hall on Monday to table questions to a panel of senior Isle of Man Government figures, aviation and community representatives about the ditched scheme.

The panel included area MHKs Alf Cannan and Tim Johnston, Isle of Man Government Chief Executive Andy Ralphs, Manx Wildlife Trust representative David Bellamy and Isle of Man Airport Director Gary Cobb.

The Issues raised by residents ranged from concerns over the value of homes near the airfield to future plans for the site.

Mr Ralphs told attendees there had been a lack of public engagement over the zoning plans, admitting that ‘lessons had been learned’

He also said that the government now ‘recognises’ that the matter was of both national importance and ‘could have done better’.

But Mr Ralphs maintained that ‘due process’ had been followed by the government throughout the planning period.

When asked about why so much land at the site had been ‘zoned for safeguarding’, Mr Cobb said it was to ensure that nothing could be built that could affect any potential scheme at Jurby Airfield.

He also said there has been a 1.5km ‘safeguard’ in effect around Jurby Airfield since 2004 and believed it would be ‘prudent’ to have a contingency space in case there was an emergency at Ronaldsway.

Increasing the safeguard to 2km would put the site on a level with Ronaldsway and allow bigger aircraft to land, he added,

Mr Cobb also confirmed that only between 20% to 30% of planes currently in use would be able to land at Jurby at present.

He told the meeting that the maps featured in the Draft Area Plan which illustrated the ‘zoning’ proposals had since been pulled and were being moved into an ‘Airports Masterplan’ which is currently being formulated.

Any future plans for the airfield will be considered in that document, he added.

Both he and Mr Ralphs reiterated numerous times that there are no plans to build a new airport in Jurby.

Ayre and Michael MHK Alf Cannan, also the Chief Minister, said he was sorry for the stress and anxiety caused by the plans but still believed that the government had followed due process.

Mr Cannan also said that if there was a proposal to create an airport in Jurby, he would need think carefully before voting on the matter.

The BBC Local Democracy Service spoke to a number of residents outside the meeting.

Art therapist Fern Callister, who lives in a cottage with her husband Adam close to the airfield site, said: ‘I still have a lot of questions that need answering, mainly around I still don't understand the necessary reason to safeguard this land.

‘I know we live in the modern world where things are changing but I still don't understand the length of the runway that's proposed.

‘It's just absolutely mind blowing. It's huge.

‘It's pretty much the same size as the failed Gatwick II proposal.

‘Why does the Isle of Man need this level of safeguarding for that length of runway?

‘This runway cuts through numerous houses, my house included, and there is a real concern around what that will mean for me and my partner.

‘We've spent pretty much all of our 10 years of our lives working to get to the point where we can buy our own home.

‘If this plan goes ahead, we'll really have massive financial implications for me and for a lot of the community as well.’ Another resident said: ‘My house is going to be underneath the supposed plan of this new airport.

‘It's the first thing I've ever heard of it. Nobody's consulted me, nobody's said anything to me, and from now on, I won't be able to sell my property because nobody would want to buy it if they think it's suddenly going to become an airport landing strip.

‘It's crazy. There's no any consultation whatsoever at all.’

‘I think most of the time [during the meeting] it was just people giving a bland “oh, we've learnt lessons” and that has done nothing, they've taken the airport plan and [that] has now become the master plan for the airport.

‘So the same plan exists. It's just got a different name.’