Views wanted in Manx planning system shake-up

Proposals aim to make the planning application process quicker

Making the planning application process simpler and faster are among proposals for a shake-up of the planning system.

The changes put forward by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) also include a rise in planning fees in line with inflation.

The reforms are part of the government's Built Environment Reform Programme, which was launched in mid-2022.

Refreshed in July this year, the scheme aims to improve the planning system to meet key targets in the economic strategy and island plan.

A consultation asking for views on possible amendments to secondary legislation under the Town and Country Planning Act has been made available online until 26 January.

Appeals process

Under the proposals, DEFA has suggested restricting the right to appeal to the applicant alone, while third parties would only be able to lodge their opposition with the department's permission.

In the current appeals process, interested party status is granted to both the applicant and any third parties, who can trigger an appeal to have approval overturned.

Other planned reforms surround the consideration of applications made by DEFA, which are currently determined by the Council of Ministers following an inspector's review, which had "resulted in very minor proposals receiving a high level of scrutiny" with "accompanying cost implications".

Proposed changes would see the Planning Committee consider these applications, with the Council of Minister only considering them if there was an appeal.

The process of making minor changes to applications could also be altered under the reform to allow more than one to a single planning approval.

This would include those for the installation of low carbon technology to cater for the fossil fuel boiler ban.

And for people providing information on how climate change measures have been considered, DEFA suggests the list of exemptions be increased, in a bid to avoid "unnecessary bureaucracy".