The Planning Inspectorate for England and Wales (Welsh: Yr Arolygiaeth Gynllunio) is an executive agency of the Department for Communities and Local Government of the United Kingdom Government. It is responsible for determining final outcomes of planning and enforcement appeals and public examination of local development plans. It also deals with a wide variety of other planning-related casework including planning appeals - about, for instance, shop signs and advertisement displays on hoardings, bus shelters etc, and cases on which Inspectors report to the Secretary of State concerned on planning applications requiring ministerial approval.
[edit] Structure
The Inspectorate is headquartered in Bristol, with a separate office in Cardiff dealing with planning appeals in Wales. The Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters' Unit in Scotland and the Planning Appeals Commission in Northern Ireland are the equivalent institutions for those countries.
[edit] Authority and powers
Planning Inspectors, appointed by the Secretary of State and said 'to stand in the shoes of the Secretary of State', are given power by Schedule 6 to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Town and Country Planning (Determination of Appeals by Appointed Persons) (Prescribed Classes) Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/420) to determine the appeals which are mostly against refusals of local planning authorities to grant planning permission.
[edit] Reception
The planning system including the role of the Inspectorate has been criticised by journalists and MPs, including Peter Wilby[1] and Kris Hopkins.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Wilby, Peter (February 19, 2007). "A Corrupt System That Affects Us All". New Statesman. http://www.newstatesman.com/society/2007/02/planning-council-rear. Retrieved October 18, 2011. "Last year, our local council turned down an application from Costa Coffee. [...] Unfortunately, the decision was overturned on appeal [...] The Bolsheviks didn't have to worry about the planning inspectorate."
- ^ Redhead, Jonathan (September 7, 2010). "Angry MP hits out at decision by Inspector over appeal by Tesco". Telegraph & Argus (Bradford). http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8375044.___perverse____verdict_on_plans_for_ilkley_store/. Retrieved October 18, 2011. "[...] Kris Hopkins, Conservative MP for Keighley which includes Ilkley, said he has written to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to tell him the current planning regime needs to change. [...] "The Planning Inspectorate's decision to support Tesco's appeal is the wrong one," Mr Hopkins said."
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
