Southwarks departing regeneration chief, Fred Manson, has called for call-ins to be minimal and for local authorities to be made the true arbiters of planning decisions.
As one of his parting shots, Manson cited the handling of Irvine Sellars tower application.
He said: “If both Southwark and the GLA do their work well and consider all relevant information, the role of the Secretary of State can shift.
“No longer would the whole process need to be rerun in an inquiry. In a matter of weeks, the prime minister could deliver one of his election promises.”
Manson, director of the councils regeneration department since 1996, announced in July that he would be leaving the borough after 15 years with the authority.
EGi News 24/08/01
