Tynwald has backed calls to introduce measures to encourage urban regeneration ahead of greenfield development.

Members of the select committee that carried out an investigation into the developed of unoccupied urban sites accepted some Council of Ministers amendments to their proposals, although they were against the government bid to axe a recommendation that the planning system and taxation should be used to discourage greenfield development.

The select committee was chaired by Bill Shimmins, who told Tynwald last week the committee accepted the need for economic growth. But he added: ’The committee’s strong view was we must grow, but we need to do it in a better way than we have for the last two decades.’

If the island carried on with the ’same old same old’, it would lead to more greenfield developments.

The Council of Ministers sought to soften the words of the committee’s original recommendation that government departments ’use every means at their disposal to encourage and prioritise the development of unoccupied or previously developed urban sites ahead of building on greenfield sites in the Manx countryside’.

Instead it called for ’all reasonable means’ to be used ’where possible’. Members accepted that amendment.

There were five specific proposals within the committee’s recommendations, to:

â?¢ set up flexible development zones in Douglas;

â?¢ transfer control of all government land and buildings to a single strategic body;

â?¢ set up a development agency in partnership with local government and the private sector;

â?¢ use the planning system, taxation and other potential incentives to discourage greenfield development;

â?¢ use the planning system, taxation and other potential incentives to encourage brownfield development in development zones in Douglas and in other urban areas.

However, Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas urged members to vote against the recommendation on discouraging greenfield development.

Mr Thomas said he was not seeking to dilute the aims of the committee, but to make sure they would work.

Squabble

He described difference of opinion over ’discourage’ recommendation as ’squabble’ and said that leaving it out would mean the other recommendations could be progressed more effectively.

A separate vote was taken on the discourage recommendation, which failed by 14-7 in the House of Keys. Even though Legislative Council voted 6-3 in favour, the recommendation did not go through, because the branches were undecided.

Members supported an amendment from Clare Bettison (Douglas East) that gave a deadline to the Council of Ministers set up to review the legislative framework for compulsory purchase and funding options.

It will report back to Tynwald on progress by June next year.