Michael Commissioners have hit out at local MHK David Cannan's 'emotive and critical' comments about the potential land swap at Douglas Road Corner.

Mr Cannan has said the proposal, between the Department of Education and developers Dandara, ignored the wishes of the village's residents, who opposed a similar idea three years ago.

He spoke of secret discussions which had gone on about the matter, but a statement from the local authority says there is no 'private agenda' as Mr Cannan suggests.

However, it continues: 'There is a need to take into account a longer term view and also to realise that conditions have changed significantly since the matter was last debated about three years ago.

'As Minister Teare stated in Tynwald, the commissioners appreciate his need to ensure future capacity for the school and believe that an exchange of land is probably the only way now to fund it.'