IDP review will include look at more centres for housing

Land use will be part of the upcoming Island Development Plan review, announced in yesterday’s States meeting, which it is aimed will be completed before the next general election in 2025.

DPA president Victoria Oliver said the news of the review was the most important part of her update statement.

A number of aspects of the plan will be evaluated, include ‘ensuring sufficient breathing space within the Main Centres’.

Deputy Marc Leadbeater asked if Deputy Oliver agreed that more local and main centres will be needed, and current ones extended, if the island is to manage its housing crisis.

‘I do agree, which is why the local centres and main centres are within the review,’ she said.

The controversial affordable housing policy GP11, employment and land supply and the concern over loss of land to domestic curtilage will also be part of the review.

‘The importance of focus for the review is not reflective simply of the need to use our resources wisely and to best effect, but is also a function of aiming, as the authority wishes to do, to have the review completed and to report to the States for decision before the end of this term of government in 2025,’ said Deputy Oliver.

Completing the review this term will minimise difficulties that can arise when major pieces of planning policy work spans across different States assemblies.

‘We saw this very starkly with the IDP itself. The authority wishes to avoid this situation recurring and I hope that colleagues will agree with both this aim and the consequent need for discipline to ensure that only the salient issues are considered as part of the review.’

Deputy Simon Fairclough asked what the timescale would be and what the process is of reviewing the IDP.

‘It’s a 15-step process to go through with three lots of consultation. It’s quite a drawn-out process which is why, when looking at the plan, we want a more streamlined one,’ said Deputy Oliver.