'Douglas doesn't look good enough' says councillor

Councillor calls for development on vacant sites

A councillor in Douglas says work is desperately needed to improve the look of the town.

Regeneration work is currently being carried out on the promenade and there are a number of sites which remain vacant.

Andrew Bentley, who represents Derby Ward on the local authority, believes there is a unanimous support to transform the capital.

Last year councillors criticised temporary car parks on brownfield sites in Douglas.

Council Leader David Christian said they were 'dragging the town down and stopping investment' and looked like 'bomb sites'.

Mr Bentley says there is a "general feeling amongst the people in Douglas that the town doesn't look good enough."

The Isle of Man Green Party member added: "We need to get these [vacant] sites developed. I don't think there's any councillor that disagrees with that and [the Council of Ministers] has already approved that policy.

"We need to get these sites developed to have a capital that we can be proud of."

Andrew Bentley spoke to Local Democracy Reporter Chris Cave: