Chairman of Ramsey Town Commissioners Captain Nigel Malpass has said he is ‘delighted’ with the progress being made to regenerate Ramsey town centre.

Captain Malpass made the comment after he, together with lead member for finance and policy Richard Radcliffe, Ramsey town clerk Peter Whiteway and chief technical officer Stephen Harrison, toured phase two of the regeneration scheme, the Courthouse gardens area in Parliament Street.

The project, which is on schedule to be completed before the 2013 TT festival, includes widening of pavements, the replacement of all hard surfaces with natural stone materials, new lighting and street furniture and re-landscaping of the gardens.

Captain Malpass said: ‘I have been most impressed with progress, in particular with the quality of materials and the standard of workmanship. I should like to acknowledge the forbearance being shown by the general public and traders in the town at this time, but as can already be seen, the end result will undoubtedly be worth the disruption which we, in partnership with the contractor, Island Drainage and Groundworks Ltd working for the Department of Infrastructure, are determined to keep to a minimum.

‘Improving circulating areas for pedestrians and reducing the impact of vehicles around the Courthouse area have been priorities. The Commissioners were also keen that any displaced shrubs, plants and bulbs were, wherever possible, recovered and reused elsewhere around the town, and that the Cenotaph be refreshed and retain its prominence.

‘In short this second phase sends out the clearest message yet about just how much a well considered regeneration scheme can transform a town and contribute to its future economic and social wellbeing.’

Photo caption - Ramsey Town Commissioners’ chairman Captain Malpass on site with a member of the contractor’s team, Norman Alexander. Picture Andrew Barton