Tynwald will be asked to consider 19 recommendations
Targeted funding to help people live in registered buildings - and incentives for commercial developments in period buildings - are among the recommendations of a Tynwald committee investigating the Island's built heritage.
The committee will present 19 recommendations to the Island's parliament later this year after hearing evidence on the topic.
Among the committee's suggestions is a call for targeted financial support to allow buyers to purchase period buildings to live in, and a look at whether there could be an infrastructure scheme to incentivise commercial development in existing buildings.
One recommendation calls for the Council of Ministers to consider transferring responsibility for registered buildings and conservation areas to Manx National Heritage.
The panel will also be seeking backing for an audit into the Island's built heritage, and a review into planning policy, particularly regarding housing.
The impact of built heritage on climate change is also among the areas the committee will seek Tynwald support on, including recognition for its role in biodiversity, and extending green living schemes to allow homeowners to retrofit period buildings.
If approved, 13 of the recommendations will require various government departments to report back to Tynwald by July next year.
The debate is due to take place at November's sitting of Tynwald, during which committee member Jason Moorhouse MHK will seek permission for former MLC Marlene Maska, who chaired the committee before the end of her term in the Legislative Council, to appear as a witness.
The committee's recommendations in full:
- Recommendation 1 That Tynwald reaffirms its commitment towards protecting and enhancing the Island’s built heritage; and calls on the Council of Ministers to ensure that the Government upholds and demonstrates this commitment in practice.
- Recommendation 2 That Tynwald recognises the value of built heritage in relation to the Island’s UNESCO Biosphere status; and calls on the Council of Ministers to ensure that Government policies and strategies reflect that value.
- Recommendation 3 That the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture, working with the Cabinet Office, should develop policies that recognise the role that built heritage plays in supporting biodiversity; and report back to Tynwald on progress by July 2024.
- Recommendation 4 That Tynwald recognises the value of built heritage in supporting wider Government policies and strategies; and calls on the Council of Ministers to ensure that Government policies and strategies reflect that value.
- Recommendation 5 That the Cabinet Office should, as a matter of priority, commission an audit of the Island’s built heritage, which should be undertaken by a suitably qualified person or body; and report back to Tynwald on progress by July 2024.
- Recommendation 6 That the Cabinet Office and the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture should review the process for deregistering a building, including the appeals process, and develop clear guidance around the process; and report back to Tynwald by July 2024.
- Recommendation 7 That the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture, working with the Cabinet Office, Manx National Heritage, and other relevant bodies, review and update, where necessary, guidance on applying building regulations to period buildings; and report back to Tynwald by July 2024. Consideration should be given to introducing building regulations that take into account the specific needs of period buildings.
- Recommendation 8 That the Council of Ministers should, as a priority, commission an independent review of the application of planning policy, particularly in regard to Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14; and report back to Tynwald on the outcome by July 2024.
- Recommendation 9 That Tynwald is of the opinion that all demolition should be classed as development; calls on the Cabinet Office to take the steps necessary to bring this into effect urgently; and report back to Tynwald on progress by January 2024.
- Recommendation 10 That the Cabinet Office should review the requirements for Interested Person Status with regard to all planning applications; and report back to Tynwald by July 2024.
- Recommendation 11 That the Council of Ministers should consider transferring responsibility (with appropriate resources) for designating Registered Buildings and Conservation Areas to Manx National Heritage; and report back to Tynwald by July 2024.
- Recommendation 12 That the Department for Enterprise, working in conjunction with the Cabinet Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture, should develop or adapt existing schemes, such as the Energy Efficiency Scheme and the Green Living Grant Scheme, to provide support and guidance for homeowners to retrofit their period buildings.
- Recommendation 13 That the Cabinet Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture should develop guidance and planning policies that consider the whole life carbon emissions of buildings, including embodied carbon; and report back to Tynwald on progress by July 2024.
- Recommendation 14 That Tynwald is of the opinion that there should be targeted funding available for owner-occupiers for appropriate conservation and repair work on Registered Buildings, buildings in Conservation Areas, other period and vernacular buildings, and ecclesiastical and faith buildings; and calls on the Department for Enterprise, working with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, Manx National Heritage, and Cabinet Office, to develop such a scheme by July 2024.
- Recommendation 15 That Tynwald is of the opinion that there should be targeted financial support available for buyers to purchase period buildings to live in; and calls on the Department of Infrastructure, working with the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture, the Cabinet Office, and the Housing and Communities Board, to develop such a scheme by July 2024.
- Recommendation 16 That the Department for Enterprise, working in conjunction with the Treasury and the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture, should consider how to incentivise the commercial development of period buildings, whether through the Island Infrastructure Scheme or a different scheme; and report back to the Tynwald on progress by July 2024.
- Recommendation 17 That the Treasury, working in conjunction with the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture, Cabinet Office, and other relevant bodies, should investigate the options available for incentivising the conservation, maintenance, repurposing and development of Registered Buildings, buildings in Conservation Areas, and other period buildings, including VAT, the rating system, and additional tax incentives; and report back to Tynwald by July 2024.
- Recommendation 18 That the Department for Education, Sport and Culture should, in conjunction with the Department for Enterprise and Manx National Heritage, consider the ways in which training in Planning and heritage building skills could be enhanced in both the private and public sector; and report back to Tynwald by July 2024.
- Recommendation 19 That the Department for Enterprise, working in conjunction with the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture, Manx National Heritage, Culture Vannin and other relevant bodies, should considers ways in which to recognise, acknowledge, protect and promote our built heritage; and report back to Tynwald on progress by July 2024.
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