Manx National Heritage
32 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 46.9%
The Freedom of Information requests to Manx National Heritage (MNH) reveal an authority grappling with the financial and ethical complexities of managing heritage assets in a modern context. A dominant theme is the tension between conservation and development, particularly regarding land. Cases such as 3983942 and 3996361 expose attempts to develop 'Gifted Land' for housing, with MNH frequently invoking exemptions to withhold trustee minutes and internal advice. This opacity is compounded by operational failures in data management; the authority admitted in 4594529 that it lacks the resources to map its own National Trust land, yet in 5087385 claimed not to hold specific GIS datasets, creating a confusing picture of asset visibility.
Key Cases
Case 3983942 — This case is critical as it directly addresses the controversial topic of developing 'Gifted Land' for residential housing. The partial exemption of trustee minutes and contracts suggests sensitive negotiations regarding the monetization of heritage assets, raising questions about the balance between conservation and development.
Case 1468375 — A rare 'Decision Notice - Complaint upheld' outcome. The Information Commissioner found MNH at fault for failing to tender for the transport of Calf of Man wardens, revealing a decade-long procurement irregularity that the authority initially tried to obscure by claiming no tender process existed.
Case 2059826 — This request uncovered a massive, specific expenditure of over £445,000 for the removal and renovation of the vessel 'The Peggy'. It highlights the high cost of maintaining specific heritage icons and the detailed financial trail left by emergency conservation moves.
Case 4594529 — The authority explicitly refused to map National Trust land on the island's GIS system, citing a lack of staff resources. This is a significant admission of operational failure in the digital age, effectively denying the public access to basic spatial data on protected lands.
Case 4544806 — Reveals that a Biodiversity Fund established in 2012/13 with £25,000 was never opened to applications and no longer exists. This suggests a failure in executing environmental policy and a potential misallocation or stagnation of charitable funds.
Related FOI Stories
Land Management and Development Controversies — #372337, #988869, #3983942, #3996361, #4024905
Major Capital Projects and Conservation Costs — #1293446, #2059826, #4163521, #1895242
Governance, Trustee Decisions, and Legal Challenges — #769665, #1468375, #2066253, #4544806
Environmental Data and Transparency Gaps — #450043, #985519, #5020610
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-18 | MNH landholdings | Information not held |
| The requester asked Manx National Heritage for a GIS dataset map of National Trust landholdings referenced in an Orsted Mooir Vannin EIA. The authority responded that the information is not held because they do not own or manage the specific GIS dataset. | ||
| 2025-11-17 | How much land does MNH own? | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2025-10-21 | Calf of Man Bird Observatory reports. | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for missing Calf of Man Bird Observatory reports from 1992, 1993, and 2012 onwards to be rectified on the iMuseum website. The authority confirmed reports from 1992-1993 were already searchable, published 2012-2018 reports on a new webpage, but withheld 2019-2024 reports under a qualified exemption for future publication. | ||
| 2025-04-15 | Lack of mapping of Manx National Trust land | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester asked why Manx National Trust land is not displayed on the MANNGIS Island Environment map despite other protected areas being shown. The authority refused the request, citing a lack of staff resources to create the mapping and legal exemptions regarding the creation of new information. | ||
| 2025-03-27 | MNH Biodiversity Fund | All information sent |
| A request was made for details regarding the Manx National Heritage (MNH) Biodiversity Fund, including its balance, rules, and application history. The authority disclosed that the fund was established in 2012/13 with an initial £25,000 but was never open to applications and no longer exists as of 2024. | ||
| 2024-12-31 | Settlement Agreements | All information sent |
| The requester asked for statistics on Settlement Agreements issued by Manx National Heritage since September 2021, including reasons and compensation figures, as well as a blank template. The authority responded that no such agreements have been issued and no template is held on file. | ||
| 2024-09-30 | Calf of Man Stevenson Lighthouses | All information sent |
| A request was made to Manx National Heritage for detailed records, plans, and maintenance history of the Upper and Lower Stevenson Lighthouses on the Calf of Man since 2017. The authority responded by releasing 9 documents totaling 64 pages, including building plans and a 2017 condition survey, confirming that all requested information was sent. | ||
| 2024-07-30 | Byelaws for land holdings of the Manx National Trust | All information sent |
| The requester asked for former and new Manx National Trust byelaws and a consultation report based on a 2021 development plan. The authority responded by providing the full text of the former byelaws approved in 1952 with a 1985 amendment, but did not include the new byelaws or the consultation report in the provided text. | ||
| 2024-07-19 | Information on North West Area Plan submission RR011 & RR012 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought all internal and external correspondence regarding Manx National Heritage's planning submissions RR011 and RR012 for land off Bowring Road. The authority provided links to previously published FAQs and documents from a related FOI case but withheld internal discussions and advice under exemptions for the conduct of public business. | ||
| 2024-07-16 | OPEN SPACES TO BE CONSIDERED FOR DEVELOPMENT | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A requester sought documentation regarding the appointment of Sarah Corlett to advise Manx National Heritage on developing 'Gifted Land' for residential use. The authority provided email correspondence detailing the fee proposal and site assessment but withheld specific trustee minutes, contracts, and payment records, citing partial exemptions. | ||
| 2024-01-27 | Manx Museum & National Trust landholding | Some information sent but part exempt |
| 2024-01-05 | Payments made and committed to | All information sent |
| 2023-11-01 | Visitor Numbers | All information sent |
| 2022-11-25 | Information held by MNH pertaining to Bishopscourt, Kirk Michael | Decision Notice - Complaint part upheld |
| 2022-11-14 | Internet cameras | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2022-09-09 | Unpublished Responses to FOIA Requests | All information sent |
| 2021-11-02 | Minutes of the AGM | Information not held |
| A request was made for the minutes of the 2019 Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Manx National Heritage (FMNH). The authority, Manx National Heritage, responded that the information is not held because FMNH is an independent charity separate from the public authority. | ||
| 2021-10-29 | The Peggy | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for a detailed cost breakdown regarding the removal of the vessel 'The Peggy' to a temporary home and the associated renovation and facility costs. Manx National Heritage disclosed specific expenditure items totaling over £445,000, covering removal, archaeological work, and the purchase and fit-out of Unit 9 Cooil Smithy Bus Park. | ||
| 2021-07-15 | Economic Recovery Group Funding | All information sent |
| The requester asked for confirmation of additional funding from the Economic Recovery Group to open specific Manx National Heritage sites. The authority disclosed that the group agreed to underwrite costs of up to £95,016 for increased opening of these sites. | ||
| 2020-09-14 | Information re: transport & supply of seasonal Calf of Man wardens | Decision Notice - Complaint upheld |
| A request was made for details on the tendering process and annual costs for transporting seasonal wardens to the Calf of Man. Manx National Heritage disclosed that no recent tender process exists but provided annual payment figures for the last 10 years, including data outside the statutory FOI timeframe. | ||
| 2020-07-13 | Kiosk at sea terminal | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for financial details and procurement information regarding a closed kiosk at the sea terminal managed by Manx National Heritage. The authority disclosed costs, income, and staffing figures for three financial years but stated that records for specific staff time costs prior to opening were not held. | ||
| 2020-07-01 | Acquisitions | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the Acquisitions Policy and Procedures from Manx National Heritage. The authority provided the Collections Development Policy but confirmed that no written procedure for collections development exists. | ||
| 2020-05-15 | Expenditure | All information sent |
| A request was made for expenditure details regarding the Nautical Museum, the Peggy, and the Peggy conservation facility in Braddan. Manx National Heritage responded by sending all requested information via enclosed documents. | ||
| 2019-10-03 | Results of archaeological assessment of sites DBH002 and BH030 | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester sought archaeological assessment and geophysical survey results for sites DBH002 and BH030, but Manx National Heritage withheld the information for DBH002 citing commercial confidentiality and confirmed no formal investigation exists for BH030. | ||
| 2019-10-02 | Laxey River Wall Removal (MNH) | Information not held |
| A request was made for information regarding the decision, authorization, and risk assessment for removing a section of wall on Glen Road, Laxey, to facilitate river work in September 2019. Manx National Heritage responded that they do not hold any of the requested information. | ||
| 2019-03-18 | Use of Donald Collister Bequest | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the consultation steps Manx National Heritage took regarding the Donald Collister Bequest following a 2012 High Bailiff ruling. The authority disclosed that a 10-week consultation occurred in 2012 involving online access, direct invitations to 85 entities, and media coverage, resulting in 112 responses. | ||
| 2019-01-01 | Glenfaba House, Raggatt, Peel IM5 3AD | Information not held |
| A request was made for details and a copy of a commissioned survey report for Glenfaba House, but Manx National Heritage responded that the information is not currently held as the report has not yet been received. | ||
| 2018-08-06 | Spending | All information sent |
| A request was made for Manx National Heritage's spending on consultancy fees and training over the last five years, broken down annually. The authority disclosed all requested information, providing specific totals and year-by-year figures for both categories. | ||
| 2018-04-27 | Expenditure on single use plastics within the department | Information not held |
| A request was made for annual expenditure figures on single-use plastics by Manx National Heritage from 2011 to 2017. The authority responded that the information is not held because purchases lack separate accounting codes and are mixed within thousands of transactions from various suppliers. | ||
| 2018-03-15 | Minutes of Trustees of Manx National Heritage | All information sent |
| The requester sought minutes regarding the Manx National Heritage Trustees' decision not to acquire the Old Castletown Police Station. The authority confirmed that all requested information was released in a single document containing two pages. | ||
| 2018-03-02 | How many visitors the Manx Museum has had in the past three years/budget for Manx National Heritage as a figure for the past three years. | All information sent |
| The request sought Manx Museum visitor numbers and Manx National Heritage budget figures for the past three years. The authority disclosed specific visitor statistics for 2015-2017 and net approved budget amounts for the 2015/16 to 2017/18 financial years. | ||
| 2017-10-29 | Last Financial year accounts. How many people employed include zero contracts | All information sent |
| The requester asked for Manx National Heritage's last financial year accounts and employment statistics including zero-hours contracts. The authority provided links to government accounts, attached charity accounts, and disclosed specific staff numbers for full-time, part-time, and zero-hours roles. | ||