Infrastructure Planning Commission Discussion
Members of the All Party Group on Infrastructure and organisations involved in planning approval for major infrastructure projects held a discussions about the developing role, remit and challenges for the new Infrastructure Planning Commission.
Politicians, engineers and built environment professionals attended the All Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure (APPGI) meeting last week, to hear Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) Chair Sir Michael Pitt outline how the IPC and National Policy Statements (NPS) will improve infrastructure planning in the UK.
The head of the newly formed independent organisation told MPs and Peers that the IPC would make significant savings in the planning costs for major national infrastructure projects, with civil servants estimating this to be anything up to £300m per year.
The Commission would also significantly reduce the time it takes for such projects to go through the planning process, Sir Michael said, with legislation requiring a complete evaluation of projects within 6 months, and an announcement and statement of reasons within the following 3 months. This would therefore cut down the process and limit it to 9 months, compared to the previous system, where planning consent could take well over a year.
As this was also the Annual General Meeting of the group, Tom Foulkes the officers of the Group were re-elected to their positions, with the Rt Hon Nick Raynsford continuing in his capacity as Chair.
Sir Michael Pitt said:
“The IPC is not a rubber stamp to Government. IPC Commissioners will make their decisions in accordance with any designated and relevant NPS(s), subject to some exceptions. For example, where the adverse local impact of a proposed development would outweigh the national interest then an application will be rejected.
“We have held more than 100 stakeholder meetings, and will enjoy working with many different organisations in the process.”
The IPC Chair also welcomed the creation of Infrastructure UK, seeing it as complimentary to the IPC, having a particular focus on funding and an advisory role to Government on strategic infrastructure planning.
ICE Director General Tom Foulkes, of the Institution of Civil Engineers, who provide the secretariat for the APPGI, said: “The Planning Act and IPC are essential to the future growth of the UK and in delivering a planning system which can approve major projects, fairly, efficiently and expertly. We fully support the IPC and Sir Michael Pitt’s aims.“