The island’s planning system is set to be reformed.

A wide-ranging public consultation has been launched.

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.

Gripes that have been raised in the past have included inflexibility, the speed of the process and expense that can be incurred.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas said that the different aspects of the planning system were spread across a number of different areas of government, including the Department for Economic Development, Cabinet Office, Department for Environment and Manx National Heritage.

’This will be a co-ordinated, concentrated look at planning and one of the questions is has planning become too disparate?’ he added

’I don’t think that is necessarily so. What I think is necessary is we have got to join up the policies so that the man on the number 11 bus understands it again.’

He added: ’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.’

There has been concern expressed about the fact that all planning appeal decisions rest, ultimately, with the incumbent environment minister.

’Many feel that, unless it is an issue of national interest, a planning appeal should not have such a heavy political hand in the decision-making,’ Mr Thomas added..

He said it was that type of thing the consultation aimed to look at.

The consultation reflects a Programme for Government pledge to create a ’planning system that supports sustainable growth’.

Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot MHK said: ’The consultation proposes an evolution of planning in line with Programme for Government.

’We want to encourage enterprise and opportunity.’