Shaws Brow refurbishment to cause 'minimum' disruption

Work costing £1.6 million to conclude by late January 2026

The chair of Douglas City Council's Housing and Property Committee says disruption will be 'kept to a minimum' as a major refurbishment project gets underway in the capital next week.

Essential maintenance work at Shaws Brow car park will start on Monday (10 March), on the Barrack Street elevation of the 692-space facility.

Temporary pavement closures and parking suspensions will be in place.

The 45-week phased programme of works will include cladding and roof replacements, structural brickwork repairs, water ingress prevention measures, lighting upgrades, the replacement of timber doors with secure steel door sets and other remedial works.

It is expected to cost £1.6 million and should be concluded by late January 2026.

Chair of the Housing and Property Committee, Councillor Devon Watson, says: "Shaws Brow car park is an extremely important site used extensively by both those who work in Douglas and shoppers.

"Given that this car parking infrastructure is so essential for many people, we need to make sure it meets customer expectations.

"Naturally, work of this scale will affect a number of spaces at any one time and cause some temporary inconvenience, but we will carry it out in a phased manner and provide regular updates on restrictions affecting car park users and the public.

"We believe any potential short-term disruption will be outweighed by the long-term benefits of the project. 

"These essential maintenance works are designed to ensure a safe and welcoming environment now and well into the future. We are ensuring that our infrastructure can support the city’s ongoing regeneration."