The Isle of Man Strategic Plan Review – Preliminary Publicity

Overview

Cabinet Office is undertaking the ‘Preliminary Publicity’ stage signalling the start of the review process into the Isle of Man Strategic Plan 2016.  This is in line with Paragraph 2, Schedule 1, of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999).  Preliminary Publicity represents the first statutory step of the Development Plan Procedure and sets out the matters that the draft plan will deal with.

The Strategic Plan provides the high-level planning policy framework for the future sustainable development of the Island and aims to ensure that the land use needs and other spatial planning requirements which may relate to economic, social and environmental matters are adequately met.

This is a comprehensive review process which will, once complete, replace the existing plan in its entirety. Some policies may simply be amended and updated but others will be added or potentially removed. The review provides the opportunity to embed Climate Change policies into statutory planning policy and reflect the core strategic objectives set out in Our Island Plan 2023 (GD No. 2022/0095), to build a secure, vibrant and sustainable future for our Island and specifically deliver one of the ‘Building Great Communities’ programmes. 

Accordingly, Cabinet Office is inviting representations on the documents published as part of the Preliminary Publicity.  This suite of documents comprises the Main Technical Consultation Paper and a number of Evidence Papers which explore specific subject areas in more detail.  

Why your views matter

In accordance with Schedule 1 of the Town and Country Planning Act (1999), when preparing a Development Plan, Cabinet Office must give adequate publicity to the matters that the plan proposals intend to deal with. The review of the Strategic Plan will cover a wide range of topic areas, and set out the overarching planning policy direction to guide the production of Area Plans and the determination of planning application decisions.  The Plan will cover the broad topics listed in the current Strategic Plan, namely: the Island Spatial Strategy, Housing, the Environment, Business (employment land) and Tourism, Sport, Recreation, Open Space and Community Facilities, Transport, Infrastructure and Utilities, Minerals, Energy and Waste. The new Plan will embed policies on Climate Change and in respect of other national policy areas such as: design quality, landscape protection, heritage and conservation, and renewable energy.  These are issues which touch the everyday lives of all Island residents, and to ensure a robust Draft Plan, Cabinet Office is seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders at this early stage of the Development Plan process.