The vitality is being sucked out of town centres while the countryside is being concreted over.

That’s the damning accusation from an MHK, who is calling for urban regeneration ahead of out of town development.

Bill Shimmins (Middle) succeeded last week in convincing Tynwald to appoint a select committee to investigate how to re-direct government policy to ensure it focuses revitalising town centres.

He said the island could not afford to wait for possible changes in planning policy.

’What is clear right now is that the trend of hollowing out the town centres, sucking out their viability and vitality whilst we simultaneously concrete over the Manx countryside, has continued since 2016 and, if anything, the trend is accelerating,’ he warned.

’Do you want to be responsible for placidly accepting this continued state of affairs which is impacting on so many aspects of our island?’

The committee will investigate the ’options available to encourage and prioritise the development of unoccupied or previously developed urban sites ahead of building on green fields in the Manx countryside’.

Mr Shimmins gave a damning critique of what had happened in the past.

If a business plan had been drawn up for 2006-16 to match what actually happened, he said, it would have looked like this:

’Over this period, we are going to migrate thousands of jobs from the town centres to business parks on the outskirts while at the same time we are going to build many large residential estates on the pristine Manx countryside.

’This will, of course, reduce the viability and vibrancy of the centres and they will become less attractive communities.

’At the same time, we will face expensive infrastructure challenges in the outlying areas to provide primary healthcare, schooling and other services to meet the new demand created by this migratory development trend.

’But please do not be alarmed, we will attempt to regenerate the towns and villages by installing uniform granite pavements everywhere.

’As a result, we will also increase the traffic on our roads and the associated pollution, as more people will commute longer distances by car.’

Mr Shimmins also mentioned a summary of feedback following a consultation on proposed planning reform, which was released ’helpfully’ on the evening before the Tynwald debate.

But he said the consultation did not have a ’specific measurable question’ on countryside development.

’Can we afford to wait for more possible planning changes?’ he asked. ’Will they make any difference in isolation? When will they be introduced? We do not know.’

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas gave qualified support to the investigation.

’We need to create sufficient land for employment purposes and housing,’ he said. ’There is flexibility inside the strategic plan on a plan, monitor, manage basis.

’But the objectives inside the strategic plan are entirely coherent and consistent with an investigation of the options around encouraging the development of previously developed land, also known as brownfield sites.’

Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot was the only MHK to vote against setting up the inquiry.

He argued out of town migration was happening everywhere in the British Isles.

’We cannot force people to occupy what are almost redundant buildings in terms of modern office occupation,’ he said.

’Would PokerStars be here and some of the other people that have redeveloped buildings on a large scale if we said to them, "Oh, no, you can only have this premise in Athol Street and you have got to develop this and work within those premises"? It ewill not work like that.’

A three-member committee - Mr Shimmins, Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East) and Marlene Hendy MLC - will report to Tynwald by July.