A government working party tasked with setting up a new development agency says it will report back by October.

The proposal for such an arm’s-length agency to work with local government and the private sector came in a series of recommendations - approved by Tynwald - made by a select committee looking at ways of encouraging urban regeneration ahead of greenfield development.

In an interim report, the Council of Ministers working party says the Department for Enterprise commissioned research to explore the strategic and operational framework of a development agency.

’That report considered agency models in other jurisdictions, terms of reference, governance structure, public and private sector involvement and accountability, powers, vires, funding and potential deliverables,’ says the CoMin report.

’The initial research and analysis was completed in early May 2019 with further work now being undertaken, informed by those early conclusions, with the intention to report by October 2019.’

recommendation

Another recommendation adopted by Tynwald was that the Council of Ministers reviews the legal framework for compulsory purchase.

CoMin says compulsory purchase powers are contained within various laws, which is appropriate because of the operational requirements of public bodies that needed to use the power.

’The process is complex and time consuming but is only undertaken on the basis that it is a last resort solution due to the potential interference with personal/human rights of property holders and potential costs involved,’ says the report. It is important that there is a clear well defined multi-staged process within in which all parties are able to engage.’

It recommends: ’Given the complexity in compulsorily purchasing land, it is recommended that the initial stages of the process are commenced alongside the negotiation phase of the capital project with an expectation that the powers will not be required.’

purchase

CoMin says it expects the powers for compulsory purchase to be further reviewed, especially if the decision is taken to set up a development agency.

But the CoMin is less enthusiastic about the recommendation to transfer control of all government land and buildings into a ’single strategic body’.

It says: ’The built and natural environment is managed very differently and for very different purposes.’

And the government does not plan to transfer all government-owned property to any development agency, although any unwanted government property that may be of a ’strategic interest’ could be transferred to such an agency.

The role and operation of ’flexible development zones’, as called for by the original committee investigation, would be defined once the investigation into the need for a development agency has completed, says CoMin.

The Council of Ministers report will be laid before Tynwald next week, although it is not due for debate.