Proposed changes to building control fees and charges have been delayed for a second time due to coronavirus restrictions and pressure facing the construction industry.
The Building Control (Fees) Regulations 2021 were due to be considered by Tynwald on Tuesday and could have seen fees increased by 4% from 1 April 2021.
The regulations set out the fees charged by a building control authority for the passing or rejecting of plans for proposed building works and their time inspecting the work. The proposed increase would help authorities recover the cost of this work.
Building control authorities are Douglas Borough Council, Onchan District Commissioners and the Isle of Man Government that serves the rest of the Island.
A 2% increase in March 2020 had been planned but this was put on hold last year as the pandemic emerged. The 4% increase was to account for cost increases across two financial years. The Regulations would also have introduced an additional ‘regularisation fee’ of £200 for applications relating to unauthorised building works.
Geoffrey Boot MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said:
‘Planning is a lever for economic growth and the sensible move is to withdraw these regulations as the timing is not right – particularly with the challenges the construction industry face right now.’
The regulations were written before the latest lockdown and the Government will now review the situation before deciding how to proceed later this year.
