Bypass roundabout due to be complete by early 2027

A roundabout in the south of the Isle of Man linking a new housing estate to a main road is expected to be completed by early next year, the infrastructure minister has said.

Construction of the four-arm roundabout at Balthane Junction, designed to connect the new Ballasalla bypass to the existing road through the village, had been held up due to the presence of coal tar.

Tim Crookall said the ongoing issue of how to deal with the substance was currently holding up more than 40 other infrastructure projects across the island.

However, he said it was intended to have the junction "fully operational" by spring 2027, with construction works set to get underway in September.

Crookall told the House of Keys the latest timeline for the project would be subject to "planning and financial approvals".

The bypass was created to connect a nearby 282-home Dandara estate to parts of the A5 in the village.

Crookall confirmed a plan announced by the previous infrastructure minister to store the coal tar under the junction itself as part of the construction process was still the intention.

"We have so much coal tar around the island now I think it's holding up over 40 schemes around the island," he said.

"But what we take up from the Balthane roundabout will go back into that scheme."

A by-product of the processing of coal, coal tar was historically used as a binding agent in road construction projects.

However, it is now known to be toxic and specialist measures are needed to deal with.

Work on the housing estate began in late 2019, with revised plans for the junction revealed in 2022 following concerns from residents over potential congestion.

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