Economic Development Minister John Shimmin says he’d like to see Castletown residents meet the owners of Callow’s Yard to discuss a way forward.
Last week a public meeting of around 170 people unanimously opposed a planning application to turn the development into residential flats.
On Friday, the minister confirmed he’d asked the town’s MHK Richard Ronan to step down from his role as departmental member with responsibility for retail after he’d backed the position taken by residents and commissioners.
But Mr Shimmin is staying tight-lipped about whether his department would object to the loss of commercial units in the town centre:
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