Government’s approach to tackling derelict sites has been branded “all carrot and no stick”.
During the debate, members debated how some disincentive measures have been delayed or abandoned.
Speaker Juan Watterson opened the criticism, telling members: “I previously described government’s approach to regeneration of brownfield sites as being all carrot and no stick and this report has done absolutely nothing to change my view of that approach.”
He pointed to the community infrastructure levy, which he said “has been kicked down the road, so that’s not going to happen”.
Tools
Lawrie Hooper highlighted that a long list of potential tools had been dismissed with minimal explanation.
He said: “Additional tax and financial measures, including some of these things, were considered but deprioritised as unfeasible or low value within total scope. That’s it. That’s all we get. No explanation, no data, no report.”
Rob Callister called for stronger action on empty homes, urging the island to follow UK guidance on an empty property premium.
He said: “Under that system in the UK, it typically provides an exemption for the first 12 months, thereafter increases in premiums up to about 400 per cent, and this needs to be seriously considered.”
Joney Faragher noted that her own motion to allow local authorities to apply charges to long-vacant properties had been weakened saying the amendment brought forward by the Council of Ministers “substantially weakened the proposal”.
Cabinet Office Minister David Ashford accepted some of the criticism, stating: “Disincentives do need to be a focus going forward. I fully agree with that.”
He added” We have focused at the moment on the carrot.”
However, Mr Ashford insisted change was coming, adding that the new Strategic Plan offered a chance to “use the levers of the planning system to ensure not just we get development, but crucially the right development that we actually need”.