There is no date for when the Ballasalla bypass will be completed - as it is down to developer Dandara to do so in their own time and budget.

Infrastructure Minister Tim Crookall made the comment in a written reply to a Tynwald question.

But he didn’t mention that the biggest hold up to completing the bypass is that his department hasn’t yet started work on a roundabout at Balthane Corner that will link to the new road at its southern end.

And Dandara insists it has completed the bypass up to its site boundary and it was down to the Department of Infrastructure to construct the roundabout and make it usable.

In his written reply to the Tynwald question from Douglas North MHK John Wannenburgh, Mr Crookall said: ‘The Ballasalla bypass scheme is a privately-funded development constructed in two phases and not a department initiative.

‘The second phase leading from the A5 Douglas Road has been substantially completed but this is only to allow for the access into phases 2 and 3 of the housing development for residents.

‘The remaining phase (phase 1) has no end date for completion as there is no commercial value for the developer to complete this section until they are ready to do so in their own time and budget.’

The Minister said there are no mitigations for delays in place as this is not a highways scheme and is being constructed under an agreement between the DoI and the developer.

Meanwhile, there is still no sign of construction work beginning on a new bypass roundabout at the Balthane junction which will ultimately re-route the main Douglas to Castletown A5 road from the centre of Ballasalla.

A link road through the Reayrt Mie estate was constructed by Dandara and opened in July last year.

But for the time being it can only be used by residents of the estate and will only become a bypass when a roundabout is built at Balthane Corner. Responsibility for that rests with the Department of Infrastructure.

A spokesperson for the developer said: ‘Dandara has completed the bypass, as required by planning conditions, up to our site boundary with the roundabout. We have received no indication from the DoI when it will complete the roundabout and enable the bypass to be usable.’

Work on the roundabout, which is expected to cost £1.92m, has been delayed following the discovery that land needed for the scheme was covered by a covenant.

The land in question includes part of a wooded area opposite the current Balthane Road junction. It was previously managed by DEFA and its predecessor but was transferred to Malew Commissioners 10 to 15 years ago.

Part of that agreement was that the local authority would transfer to the DoI any land required for a road widening scheme.

But Malew Commissioners needed to secure an agreement to release a covenant on that plot.

Clerk to Malew Commissioners Barry Powell told Media IoM last month: ‘Everything is progressing towards completion of the transfer of the land. There are no issues or delays, it’s just down to due legal process which can take time.’