IPC chief insists regime will survive organisation's abolition

The chairman of the Infrastructure Planning Commission has indicated that the regime for dealing with major infrastructure applications could survive the organisation’s abolition.

In a letter sent to interested parties the day before the Queen’s Speech, Sir Michael Pitt said: “In the coalition agreement, the government has confirmed its commitment to an efficient and democratically accountable fast-track process for major infrastructure projects.”

Sir Michael said the IPC would be replaced and a revised departmental structure introduced that “will put the fairer, faster decision making, that national infrastructure planning requires, on a democratic basis”.

This will involve new primary legislation in the shape of the Decentralisation and Localism Bill, which the IPC expects to become law in 2011.

The IPC chairman added: “The expertise, processes and special character of the IPC will be retained by creating a Major Infrastructure Unit as part of a revised CLG that includes the Planning Inspectorate. Recommendations on nationally significant infrastructure projects will be made to Secretaries of State for final decisions.”

Sir Michael reassured developers working on the submission of an application to the IPC that the existing process would continue until the Bill becomes law. “The examination of applications will not be delayed due to the anticipated changes,” he insisted.

He added: “The IPC recognises its responsibilities in delivering the improved process, which enables faster, fairer decisions, and gives its full commitment to meeting its delivery obligations and to working with developers, stakeholders and communities.”

Angus Walker, a partner at Bircham Dyson Bell who writes a blog on the Planning Act 2008, pointed out that there was no suggestion in Sir Michael’s letter that the process will be changed, “just the examiner of applications and the decision-maker (who will be the relevant Secretary of State)”.

He added: “This means that everything we have learnt about National Policy Statements, nationally significant infrastructure projects, pre-application consultation and development consent orders is not wasted: these are likely to survive more or less intact.”