Planning Inspectorate Newsletter - Issue 7
An Unexpected Compliment
We were very pleased to receive a completely unsolicited compliment from a surprising source.
The organisation “The Land is Ours”, which provides planning advice to “smallholders, low impact builders, caravan and shack dwellers and other low income rural people experiencing problems with the planning authorities” says in its Chapter 7 planning advice booklet:
“We have found them (the Planning Inspectorate) unfailingly helpful. The best organized Government department with the best trained switchboard operators we've ever met.
“It is not often one can compliment a government bureaucracy, but in our view the Planning Inspectorate is extremely well run, and very fair - in contrast to many council development control departments.
“Don't hesitate to phone the Planning Inspectorate if you have questions about procedure or your rights. They will not convey anything you ask to your local planning authority. They have no voice mail (yet), and their switchboard operators are knowledgeable, and know how to direct you to the right person.
“We also have considerable respect for the way appeals are handled. Inspectors manage what is effectively a two day court case entirely on their own, without assistance from clerks of court or ushers, and they usually do it very fairly. Whilst we have had decision letters that seem completely out of order, normally, even when the decision notice goes against us, it is reasonably argued in terms of existing policy.”
Thank you, The Land Is Ours.
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