Despite all the recent debate over redeveloping brownfield sites, there is no definitive list of where they are.

The revelation was made by Marlene Hendy MLC during a hearing of the select committee on development of unoccupied urban sites.

Mrs Hendy, who sits on the committee, said: ’At the outset of this select committee operation, I tried to identify the all-island brownfield sites.

’No such collective list or schedule exists.’

Speaking to the Manx Independent, Mrs Hendy explained that while the sites are commonly known, an exhaustive list does not currently exist.

She then asked acting head of valuation and asset management from the Treasury Andrew Sidebottom, whether he would be in favour of such a list, and if it would be helpful to enable a more strategic approach to brownfield sites.

Mr Sidebottom replied: ’Yes, I think it certainly would be helpful if there was a list of government sites that we keep a list of assets there.

’The wider sites would also probably be helpful to hold and have a knowledge of.’

However, he noted that is not always easy to collate non-governmental information as ’some people are quite cautious of what information they release’.

Awareness

He added: ’But, I think in the property areas of government, there is a general awareness of where they are, so it would not be a desperately hard list to pull together from knowledge probably.’

Mrs Hendy asked if Mr Sidebottom agreed that if such a list existed, it could assist in developing the appropriate policies.

He said it could do no harm to have such a list, adding: ’You have got to know what you have got, before you start to consider it properly.’

Also discussed in the committee was compulsory purchasing, including how they are funded and whether there is a set budget?

The Treasury’s financial controller, Caldric Randall, said: ’The answer is there is not a specific fund that says "compulsory purchases".

’As and when any purchases would come along we would identify the appropriate place for it to come from. Simple as that.

’We have got the property and land acquisition fund. It was used quite recently to purchase some government land.’

Mr Randall expanded on that, saying if there is an ’immediate need’ for a purchase then that money is used.

But there is not a specific fund which is ’specifically for compulsory purchases’.

Leader of Douglas Council David Christian also spoke on the issue.

He said that ’consecutive governments have been very reluctant to use compulsory purchase powers’.