Acres of greenbelt will be lost to provide more housing than is actually required, it is feared.

Tynwald this week will vote on whether or not to approve the Area Plan for the North and West.

It allocates land for residential development, much of it on the outskirts of Peel and Ramsey, that could see 1,028 new homes built.

The document covers the period from 2011 to the end of March next year but will continue in operation until replaced by a proposed all-island Area Plan.

It provides a detailed framework to implements policies set out in the 2016 Strategic Plan, which covers the same period.

This proposed that 1,540 dwellings should be built in the North and West between 2011 and 2026.

But only 833 new homes were built up to 2023 with a further 236 expected to be constructed under outstanding approvals.

Taking into account projected conversions, and 33 new homes that could be built on sites already allocated for housing but which are currently without valid planning approvals, this takes the figure to 1,144, a shortfall of 396 from the ambitions of the strategic plan.

But the new Area Plan for the North and West zones new sites for residential development that could see 457 new homes built in the period of the plan and 1,028 if the sites are built out in full.

This would take the total to 2,166 compared to the 1,540 specified in the strategic plan.

Of the sites earmarked for residential development, the largest are on the outskirts of Peel where up to 325 new homes could be built on 42 hectares of fields to the north and south of the A20 Poortown Road and 119 on 8.3 hectares at Ballaterson, Glenfaba Road.

A further 108 could be built on land south of former railway line at the border of Lezayre and Ramsey, and 109 at Vollan Fields, Ramsey.

The Area Plan says the site earmarked on either side of the Poortown Road, which extends northwards to Ballagyr Lane, represents a significant land allocation on the edge of Peel, and specifies that the construction of a District Link Road must be integral to the design scheme.

It states that no development shall take place at Ballaterson until Peel’s new sewage treatment work,s currently under construction, is at its initial operational capacity.

Other sites to be allocated for housing under the new Area Plan are fields at Mount Pleasant, Andreas Road, Ramsey ad at Oatlands Farm, Andreas, as well as land at Douglas Road corner, Kirk Michael, a field off Main Road, Ballaugh and between Dhoon School and the Ballagorry estate, Glen Mona.

Kate Lord-Brennan, MHK for Glenfaba and Peel, said the Area Plan ‘massively overshoots’ what is needed in terms of zoning for housing,

She said more than 90% of the proposed new dwellings are set to be allocated on greenfield land.

Ms Lord-Brennan is to table an amendment in Tynwald calling for members to reject the Area Plan at this stage and require government to take stock of its planning policy.