The owners of the Nunnery Estate are hoping to build new office space as part of a bid to become a hub for start-up businesses.

The International Centre for Technology Limited (ICT) took ownership of the Nunnery on February 1, 2015 although the University College Isle of Man (UCM) continue to maintain access to the Mansion House for Business Studies and Information Technology students.

Now the ICT has submitted a planning application to transform a stable block in eight office units as it bids to create an ‘IT campus’.

The move is a bid to keep the Nunnery Estate financially viable with the owners saying there needs to be a compromise between its heritage and its commercial clout.

In the planning statement, the applicant says: ‘The ICT recognise the importance of the Nunnery Estate in Isle of Man heritage, however new functions for the estate must be found to stop it becoming obsolete and be financially sustainable to enable further capital investment in the estate.

‘To maintain and improve the estate and its buildings the ICT need to also create an income stream to fund the ongoing maintenance and improvements.

‘The ICT believe that through the creation of the ICT Campus an income can be derived from working with world-class ICT and IT businesses to provide IT and ICT related education, training and innovation, combined with facilitating high quality events such as conferences, meeting rooms, weddings, Tynwald Day celebrations and special local community occasions.’

The planning statement goes on to explain ICT’s vision to help unearth business talent on the island, building on the UCM’s presence already onsite.

It says: ‘Working towards becoming a central hub for start-up businesses, while partnering with the UCM and other institutions, we are looking to nurture available talent and further their interests, while enhancing the business growth capability of the Isle of Man, together with the creation of exciting start-up businesses.

‘UCM is currently the anchor tenant in the Mansion House delivering degree course teaching over three floors of the building. A vibrant campus life exists where students studying can be inspired by the businesses at The Nunnery and in turn the businesses by the students.

‘The ITC is seeking to increase the lettable space within the estate to cater for new startup or expanding businesses.’

The proposed development will provide medium to large sized office spaces to meet the ICT’s requirements.

The proposed development consists of two new buildings, along with a car park, pond, and paving to new footpaths and courtyard.

Block A is the larger of the two buildings and the proposed accommodation includes lettable office space with a shared entrance lobby, toilets and tea stations.

Block B is the smaller of the two buildings and the proposed accommodation includes lettable office space with a shared entrance lobby.

The planning statement continues: ‘The proposed development will allow The Nunnery to grow and provide the required accommodation to make it more sustainable in future years.’

The application will be considered by the planning committee in due course.