The public is being consulted over the proposed Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Bill.

The Bill would amend the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 to put the Planning Committee onto a statutory legal footing.

Currently, the committee is appointed under a Ministerial delegation, as provided for in the Government Departments Act 1987.

The draft legislation fulfils a promise to Tynwald made in May 2015 by the Minister for Infrastructure. At that time, responsibility for planning and building control fell within the Department of Infrastructure but it now sits within the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.

The public is also invited to comment on an accompanying Town and Country Planning (Constitution of the Planning Committee) Order, which details the function and operations of the planning committee.

The consultation can be viewed at www.gov.im/consultations.gov and copies can be requested from planning@gov.im or the Planning and Building Control Directorate, Murray House, Mount Havelock, Douglas, IM1 2SF.

Responses should be sent to the same postal/email address.

The deadline to submit views is Thursday 12th November.