A wide-ranging public consultation is to be held on reforms to the planning system.

It will cover everything from whether the government should be able to change planning policy more quickly, to a possible increase in the range of developments that can take place without a planning approval.

The government says the aim is to see how the planning system can respond to needs, while protecting the island’s environment.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle said: ’To ensure our continued economic growth and inward investment, we require a high quality and sustainable environment that meets the needs of residents and businesses.

’This means a planning system that is easy for people to engage and dynamic enough to react to need - but not a system that permits development at any cost.’

The consultation follows reviews of the planning system that the government says exposed inadequacies.

It poses 55 questions and among the other ideas explored are whether some projects should be made subject to a levy to support infrastructure and whether compulsory purchase powers should be used more to buy sites for earmarked development.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas said: ’The consultation covers how planning policy is created, how the public engages with planning, how applications are made and decided on, the location and quality of development and the conservation and creative re-use of our heritage.’