The long-awaited Ballasalla bypass should be completed by April 2026, the Infrastructure Minister has confirmed.

In an answer to a written Tynwald question earlier this month, the minister Tim Crookall said progress of the bypass was down to developer Dandara ‘in their own time and budget’.

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

However, in answer to a follow-up question by Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Justin Moorhouse, Mr Crookall explained the department’s position more clearly.

He said there is budget approval and purchase of the necessary land in place for the completion of the bypass but the presence of coal tar in the area has been a problem. But he revealed a target date for completion of April 2026 providing the current issues are resolved. In November last year he stated in the House of Keys that he hoped that work would commence on the roundabout in the Spring of this year.

It has been found that some of the chemicals in coal tar, when present in high concentrations such as in industrial paving or road resurfacing, may increase the risk of cancer.

It had been originally been hoped to use the substance in the building of the new road, Mr Crookall stating during the same Keys sitting last year: ‘The hazardous waste material will be removed for processing and will be stabilised with other materials stored in the island to form a hydraulically bound material before being reused in the new construction.

‘The stabilised material is then encapsulated beneath three layers of Asphalt.’

‘I see this as a way of getting rid of the waste and using it for a good purpose.

‘Coal tar that we already have, and that will come up from this project, will be used on this project.’

But this week he said: ‘There are quite a few issues around the island on roads where we have coal tar and we need to be able to sort that out. But we are close to that and we are working closely with Treasury.

‘Once we have got that sorted we will then tender for the job specifications that we need. In order to complete the land agreement there is a requirement to release a third-party covenant on commissioners’ land and one final signature is required before completion.’

When questioned about Dandara’s situation Mr Crookall reiterated his previous comment that the developer had not completed all its own work in relation to the bypass.

He said: ‘Dandara’s work is not finalised just yet and the road requires another coat. Once everything is signed off we can add the final coat to our section of road at the same time.’

Dandara had insisted it had completed the bypass up to its site boundary and it was down to the DoI to construct the roundabout and make it usable.

A new bypass roundabout at the Balthane junction is needed 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 by the DoI.

A spokesperson for the developer previously 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.