Reviewing a plan using ’massively inflated figures’ doesn’t make any sense.

That is the view of Middle MHK Bill Shimmins who has tabled a Tynwald motion which could see the island’s strategic plan modified.

The motion comes following the publication of the additional evidence for the area plan for the east ahead of the public inquiry later this year which Mr Shimmins said left him ’very disappointed’. He had earlier labelled the figures ’completely bonkers’.

His motion calls on Tynwald to note ’the updated evidence papers submitted in June 2019 by the Cabinet Office which reduce the number of housing units required under the Isle of Man Strategic Plan’.

And he calls on the Minister for Policy and Reform Chris Thomas to report in October 2019 on the reasons for the change in the number of housing units required under the strategic plan, with special reference to the division of housing between the four area plan regions.

Mr Shimmins said the evidence released, which shows the island needs 1,357 new homes rather than the 2,440 homes that were previously considered necessary, shows the island needs to update the strategic plan.

He said: ’This doesn’t just affect the east of the island. With the north and the west plans forthcoming it will affect them too.

’The strategic plan was agreed by the last administration and has drastically over-estimated the population.’

According to the strategic plan, the island’s population was estimated to have reached 89,455 by this year.

This has proven to be incorrect.

The figure given as an estimate for 2016 had the island’s population at 87,598 while the interim census revealed the actual figure to be 83,314.

Mr Shimmins told the Manx Independent: ’We need to review those numbers to be more realistic.’

He also called on the government to use the plan as an opportunity to ’regenerate’ the island’s towns.

’We need to use brownfield sites before any greenfield ones.

’Some of our towns look down at hell and shabby, but if we reuse these areas, we can regenerate them’ he said.

’The vacancy rate in the island was 15% in 2016, in Jersey it is 7%, in Scotland it is 4%.

’That means we have 6,470 empty properties, with 2,430 in Douglas.

’We need to reuse those properties and regenerate towns before we go tarmacing over fields.’

Mr Shimmins (pictured) said that in his preparation for Tynwald, he has been talking to other members and ’hopes’ he has the number for his motion to succeed.

He added: ’I really hope this is successful. It is so important for the development of the island, not only the east but the whole of the island.’