Message from the Chair

The New Year has commenced with a busy programme of work. IPC case teams are currently progressing nine applications with more applications expected to be submitted before integration with the Planning Inspectorate in April. Two rail applications proposed for Ipswich and Doncaster are undergoing examination and the Commissioners are busy examining evidence submitted in written representations and at hearings.

Members of the public and a range of organisations have been registering via the IPC website to become interested parties in the application for a new nuclear power station in Somerset at Hinkley Point C. Over 1,200 representations were received on the application and once processed these will be available to view on the project page.

Other schemes currently open for registration include Galloper Offshore Wind Farm, Preesall Saltfield Underground Gas Storage and Heysham to M6 Link Road.

The Planning Inspectorate and the IPC continue to prepare for the seamless changeover that will take place when the IPC is abolished and its functions transfer to the Planning Inspectorate at the end of March. A national infrastructure directorate has been created within a restructured Planning Inspectorate to support the examination of major infrastructure applications.

On the date of transfer, individuals and organisations who are working currently with the IPC are unlikely to notice any major changes. A new national infrastructure planning transfer page has been created on our existing website to highlight progress.

I would like to echo the promise made by Government Ministers, by also giving my personal assurance that there will be no disruption to any projects already notified to the IPC under the Planning Act 2008 process when these changes take effect. The transfer to the new arrangements will not affect your ability to participate in the process and no project will have to start the process again.

Next month, I will sign off the final edition of the IPC newsletter, and I am already looking forward to welcoming you to the first refreshed edition of the Planning Inspectorate’s enewsletter, in March, ahead of the changeover.

There are exciting times ahead of us and so I do hope that you will transfer your subscription in order to keep up to date with our news through the transitional period.

Sir Michael Pitt

Chair of the IPC and Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate

Last updated: 30 January 2012