Change at the Planning Inspectorate

Planning professionals will already be aware of the news that Peter Burley, who has been in charge of PINS’ Welsh branch in Cardiff, has been appointed Chief Planning Inspector.

My colleague David Brock has very recently commented on this in his own blog, and rather than my repeating what he has already written, I would refer you to the link to David’s blog on the left-hand side bar of this page. I agree with everything David has written about this.

It is encouraging that we have a professional head of the Inspectorate at an operational level (replacing the position which was formerly held, without the title but with great distinction by Leonora Rozee), although the chief honcho (Sir Michel Pitt) is purely a management man with no previous professional experience in PINS.

On the other hand, I share David’s concern at the removal of the PINS website. The Inspectorate should be and should be seen to be at arm’s-length from government. I am not paranoid by nature, but I strongly suspect machinations within De-CLoG to bring what had occasionally been an independent voice under central control, and to silence any potentially dissentient views.

© MARTIN H GOODALL