The end of an era as keys to old Noble’s Hospital, Westmoreland Road are handed over
Isle of Man News, 10 March 2010 – The end of an era was marked today as the Department of Health and Social Security handed over the keys of the old Noble’s Hospital in Westmoreland Road, Douglas to the Department of Education.
The handover follows approval from Tynwald in February of this year for the initial works to build a new Primary School on the old hospital site, which will have capacity for 350 pupils and replace Ballacloan Infants’ School and Fairfield Junior School.
Attending the ceremony was the Minister for Health and Social Security, Hon. W. E. Teare, MHK and Minister for Education, Hon. Anne Craine, MHK as well as the Estates Director for the Department of Education Richard Collister and the Estates Director for the Department of Health and Social Security, Mike Harrington.
Minister Teare commented “It’s now almost seven years since the new Noble’s Hospital in Braddan opened, but the Westmoreland Road site remains a lynchpin in how we deliver healthcare on the Island. As time has progressed we’ve consolidated the delivery of health services to some of the newer areas of the old Noble’s site such as podiatry and physiotherapy, which will remain and we’ve also made use of space at the new Noble’s site in Braddan.
The old Noble’s site is a prime location in Douglas and with much of the building decommissioned, passing a section of the property to the Department of Education will enable Government to realise the site’s potential in the form of a new Primary School, which will serve the community in this area for generations to come.”
Minister Craine commented “I am glad that at last we are able to move forward with the development of preparing this site for the new school. Old Noble’s has been earmarked for this purpose for many years and with that in mind, when extending the hospital, the design was deliberately of a multi-purpose construction with the eventual thought of it being a school. That day has finally come and I am pleased that we are able to retain some of the old construction within the footprint of the development. It will be good to see new beginnings on this old site that has been an important focal point for the families of Douglas for so long.”
The occasion also marks the start of handing over the reigns at the Department of Education, which will become the Department of Education and Children on 1st April and be headed by Hon W. E. Teare, MHK as Minister, who takes over from Hon. Anne Craine, MHK as she moves to Treasury. Minister Teare added “I’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on progress and look forward to carrying on Minister Craine’s work in delivering a first class education facility.”
It is hoped construction of the new school will be completed by 2015.
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