12-months of disruption ahead for some Colby residents

MU planning 'large and complex' utility replacement scheme

Residents in Colby have been told to expect a year of disruption whilst utilities in the area are replaced.

Manx Utilities has written to people living on Costain Close and Ballacriy Park with information about a ‘large and complex’ scheme which will start in January 2024.

The authority is planning to replace all water mains and service connections, lay new street lighting cables and erect lighting columns, and replace all electrical low voltage cables, boxes and joints.

It’s also liaising with other utilities to determine whether there is benefit to replacing their apparatus at the same time.

All existing services must be kept live whilst the new ones are laid meaning there will be two full sets running through the area until the connections are swapped.

Extensive site and ground investigation – including multiple excavations - will begin on 31 July; this includes digging trial pits and slit trenches to identify the exact position of existing services.

It’s expected to take three weeks to complete this initial stage of the project.

Properties in the affected areas will be photographed first so that any existing damage is logged and engineers can ensure it doesn’t worsen during the works.

Manx Utilities says access to the residential areas, at times throughout the project, will be ‘delayed or difficult’ due to the work needed.

It’s planning to hold a drop-in session so that residents can speak to the people responsible for carrying out the scheme.

The authority says it will also work closely with the Department of Infrastructure with regards to the ‘reinstatement’ of roads and footpaths.

The letter, delivered to properties in the affected areas, has also been sent to Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK's Jason Moorhouse and Tim Glover.