For anyone wondering what the future could hold for the centre of Douglas, it’s their last chance to go down to the Noa Bakehouse on Fort Street and find out.
An exhibition by Isle of Man trainee architect Jasmin Eastwood and her fellow student Jade Meeks from Huddersfield shows the pair’s vision for an alternative Douglas masterplan.
Jasmin, from Lonan, was a pupil at Laxey and Ballakermeen schools before graduating with a first class degree in architecture at Oxford Brookes University and produced the plan as part of her Master’s degree studies at Liverpool University.
She told Isle of Man Newspapers the location of the exhibition at Noa Bakehouse seemed appropriate as it was at the heart of her redevelopment area.
‘I’m not trying to say there is anything wrong with the existing masterplan, it’s just a suggestion of something different and it’s good to get people talking about it,’ she said.
Central to her vision is a town centre that is less focused on the motor car and more reliant on public transport. The well-known sea terminal building would be retained but would have a new role as an art gallery while a new sea terminal building would form part of a welcoming gateway to Douglas. The town centre would also include an arts centre, plaza, market place, and much of the car parking would be transferred underground.
As part of her studies for the plan, Jasmin made a number of visits to the island, spoke to MHKs and spent hours studying records in the Manx Museum.
During her studies, Jasmin worked for APA Architects in Douglas as well as studying architecture in the Isle of Skye.