Island Infrastructure Scheme

Please note applications for the first funding round are now closed. More information regarding additional funding rounds will be available on this page in due course.

The purpose of the Scheme is to support the development of brownfield sites that are included on the Unoccupied Urban Sites Register published by the Cabinet Office. The purpose of funding under this Scheme is to bridge the funding gap where sites are currently unviable for development.

Funding can be sought for residential, retail or leisure, commercial or mixed use developments. The offer of funding will be based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) location, financial viability, social benefits, economic benefits and exchequer benefit.

The Scheme is open for a period of two years, from 3rd January 2023 to 31st December 2025 and will be delivered in funding rounds over the two year period, subject to available budget.

Support available

The Scheme offers a financial support, by way of a grant and/or loan, towards development projects of up to 25% of eligible expenditure as defined below.

Eligible developments

For the purposes of the Scheme, applicants can only apply for funding where the proposed development or re-development is defined as falling into the following categories:

• Mixed use;
• Retail;
• Residential (over 8 dwellings);
• Leisure (including permanent car parks ‘on a case by case basis’); and
• Commercial.

In addition, applicants must ensure the following are met:

• The development falls into the eligibility as outlined in the Tynwald Scheme;
• The designated site is on the Unoccupied Urban Sites Register;
• The designated development is in line with the Island Strategic Plan 2016;
• The project must be financially viable with potential support from the Scheme;
• Where the Company is using a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to undertake the project, both details of the SPV and the parent company must be provided. The Department must be comfortable that the relationship is appropriate.
• For residential developments, the project plans to build or refurbish 8 or more homes on the brownfield site;
• An application form must be submitted and acknowledged by the Department before construction commences on the designated site;
• Normally only one application per site;
• The development either has planning approval, or obtains this within one year from the offer of financial support. Unless there is a 3^rd party appeal, in which case planning approval must be in place when the appeal decision is issued.

Eligible expenditure

The Department may assist on the following costs on the development:

• Materials and manual labour;
• Professional fees (e.g. architect fees, mechanical, electrical etc.);
• Hire of specialist equipment (from third parties only);
• Installation of specialist services;
• Demolition;
• Government fees (planning, building control etc.);
• Removal of contaminated land or waste; and
• Other site work to the satisfaction of the Department.

Support is not available for: -

• Land purchase and associated costs;
• Recurring costs (including rates and utilities);
• Purchase of plant and machinery;
• Consumables; and
• Transport costs.

Important Note: Where internal labour is used, the applicant must be able to clearly identify and evidence the costs of the internal labour associated with the application.

The project, where possible, must use Construction Isle of Man (CIOM) members. If CIOM members cannot be used, prior approval of the Department is required. A list of members is available here: https://www.constructioniom.im/find-an-accredited-professional  

Applicant eligibility

• Be an eligible business as set out in the Island Infrastructure Scheme;
• The business or activities of the applicant must be conducted lawfully in the Island;
• Applicants must be up to date with paperwork and payments for Income Tax and NI, and also be up to date with VAT payments, or on an approved VAT payment plan; and
• If the applicant does not own the designated site, permission must be sought from the owner and this evidence presented to the Department.

Important note: Financial Assistance is offered entirely at the Department’s discretion, and even if an applicant is eligible via the criteria set out above, applications are reviewed on a case by case basis on their own merits with no guarantee of financial assistance being offered.

Application process

All applicants are encouraged to engage with the Department before submitting the application form.

This is achieved by completing the brief online enquiry form which can be found at: www.gov.im/businessenquiries

The Department opened for applications to the first round on 3^rd January 2023 and closed on 1^st April 2023. Following this closure date, all applications are now being assessed.

For more information about the information which is required in order to submit an application, please see the Scheme Guidance.