The chairman of the planning committee has voiced fears over the government’s aim to give its self the power to issue directives that would override normal procedures.

’National policy directives’ are a central plank of the Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill. They would allow the government to make quick changes to planning rules to allow specific developments to go ahead in the national interest.

Normally, applications for permission to start a development are considered by the planning committee, which is chaired by an MHK, currently Tim Baker. Planning decisions can be reviewed or taken to appeal.

In the House of Keys this week Mr Baker (Ayre and Michael) expressed strong reservations about the national policy directives proposal, saying people would have no chance of challenging the outcome.

He said: ’Any national policy directives which come through and are approved by Tynwald will be unchallengeable, irrespective of the implications that they have in terms of the environment, business, community, housing, society, et cetera.’

Mr Baker said he accepted there would be times when the normal planning system needed to be more flexible and quicker, but he was worried about the implementation.

He questioned the level of consultation that would be demanded and said there needed to be ’adequate scrutiny’.

Mr Baker warned: ’We are in danger of falling for a simplistic approach, which could be damaging for the island.’

Bill Shimmins (Middle) echoed Mr Baker’s fears.

’There is a general, growing concern across the island that the Council of Ministers wishes to circumvent normal planning practice to remove any barriers to economic progress, regardless of any negative consequences,’ he said.

He warned of the changes being brought forward to meet the ’agenda of the influential few’.

Concerns had been heightened by the restrictions imposed on who could appeal against planning decisions. It led to suspicions of ’skulduggery’, he said, warning against a ’clandestine’ approach to informing people of major changes to planning policy.

But Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas, who is in charge of the bill, insisted the introduction of national policy directives could be a ’massive’ step forward and allow the government to ’override’ policies in wider-ranging development plans.

’National policy directives will enable the Council of Ministers, with the approval of Tynwald, to respond in the national interest to particular planning issues,’ he said.

The Council of Ministers would have to give its reasons and ’shall’ consult other parties as it ’thinks fit’.

A development plan dealt with the ’whole’ while a national policy directive would be ’particular’ and responsive, and possibly even short-lived, he said.

’National policy directives are aimed to enable changes in policy to be brought about more quickly, when necessary, to continue to meet the island’s needs.’

While the directives drawn up by the Council of Ministers would be subject to Tynwald approval, the proposal would enable policy changes to be made without the need to draw up a new piece of legislation, which would have to go through several stages of scrutiny in the Tynwald branches.

Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot, whose department is responsible for planning, rejected any suggestion of a clandestine approach.

National policy directives would require Tynwald approval, he pointed out.

’If you don’t trust yourself, that is your problem,’ he said. ’At the end of the day, they are coming before Tynwald where they will be debated.’

Members granted the Bill a second reading on Tuesday, meaning its principles are approved. But Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey), who echoed the concerns of other backbenchers, signalled his intention to table amendments at the clauses stage.