Months after construction of Douglas promenade’s controversial new sea wall began, the scheme has been retrospectively - and reluctantly - approved.

Acting chairman of the Isle of Man’s planning committee Peter Young said he would support the application ‘with a heavy heart’ as ‘I don’t like the damned thing.’

Committee Helen Hughes agreed: ‘I hate the sea wall - it completely cuts away the beach view.’

Work on the 1.2m high sea wall began in the summer and when complete will run 500m from a point just south of the Douglas War Memorial on Harris Promenade to a point opposite the Empress Hotel on Central Promenade.

The £900,000 project was initially rejected by the planning committee back in 2019 but then given the go-ahead on appeal in April the following year.

But the consent expired on May 1, 2024, and since the appeal decision was made, the War Memorial has secured registered building protection.

Two objections had been received for the application.

Planning consultant Patricia Newton told the planning committee meeting on Monday that work on the project should have stopped as soon as it was realised a new application was needed.

She said the case against refusing the plan had been strengthened by the fact that the Cenotaph was now a registered building.

Ms Newton referred to a ‘fortress’ promenade being created by the new sea wall and claimed the appearance of a conservation area was being ‘absolutely ruined’.

She said if approval was granted it would set a precedent for a wall along the rest of the promenade, and set a precedent for the DoI to continue to breach planning conditions.

The registered buildings officer said the new concrete sea wall was harming the character and appearance of the war memorial.

He pointed out that many veterans and ex-servicemen/women attending Armistice and Armed Forces Day events have reduced mobility and use wheelchairs and these major civic events also feature young people representing cadets, scouts, guides and local schools.

‘Introducing a solid 1.2m high wall between the memorial and the sea will mean that those whose eye level is below 1.2m will no longer be able to view the beach or the sea,’ he said.

Planning officer Russell Wiillams had recommended approval for the application (24/00743/B). He accepted that that there would be an impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area but that the impact was considered to be neutral given the benefits of the wall are ‘fairly evident’.

He said it had originally been recommended that the wall should be 1.8m high and a compromise of 1.2m was found to be the optimum height and correct balance.

Its aim was to reduce overtopping and damage to the Promenade but it was never going to eradicate overtopping entirely, he said. The planning officer said the wall itself does not ‘obliterate’ views of the bay.

The application includes the erection of bronze image artworks at the war memorial.

Committee member Adele Betteridge said: ‘I’m not in favour of the sea wall at all.’

Colleague Helen Hughes said she walked along the Promenade most days and while she hated the new sea wall, she accepted there was a need for sea defences. ‘I’m kind of on the fence with this one,’ she admitted.

Committee chairman Mr Young said while he didn’t like the ‘damned thing’, the plans had been approved previously by the Minister.

The committee approved the application by four votes to two.