Planning minister Lord Falconer has unwrapped a package of reforms intended to speed up procedure at public inquiries into major infrastructure projects.
Key changes announced this week include the introduction of round-table discussions, the appointment of independent technical advisers, mediation, time limits on cross-examinations and deadlines for the delivery of inspector’s reports.
The Government eventually plans to hand the power to decide on major infrastructure projects such as power stations and airport runways to Parliament.
Lord Falconer said: “These new rules will mean public inquiries into major projects in the future are fairer but also quicker. They will save time and money.
“No one in the end benefits from an adversarial planning system. Only by parties getting together and talking in a sensible and reasonable way will issues get resolved.
“Inquiries at the moment can take years and years. Look at Terminal 5. That inquiry process took over six years from appointment of the planning inspector to delivery of the final report.”
The new rules are scheduled to come into force on 7 June, 2002.
Peter Weatherhead, DTZ Pieda Consulting’s planning chief, said that proposals for round-table discussions could prove “problematic”.
He said: “Round table discussions for structure plans on housing are par for the course and do seem to work. But a lot of the issues that planning inquiries are needed for are by nature adversarial.
“It is often the only way to ensure that the case is examined properly. Limiting cross-examinations could be dangerous.”
Friends of the Earth (FoE) questioned the Government’s claim that the changes would be “faster and fairer for all concerned”.
The lobby group also warned that long-term proposals to allow Parliament to decide the need for major infrastructure projects would mean that public inquiries would only deal with peripheral matters.
Elaine Gilligan, planning campaigner at FoE, said: “Lord Falconer is trying to con the public into believing that he wants to improve public participation in the planning system.
“The reality is that the government wants to restrict the publics right to say no to projects that will damage both the environment and the local community.
“If these proposals go ahead, public inquiries will only deal with issues such as what colour fence the new nuclear power station should have.”
EGi News 14/05/02
