PINS STRATEGY FOR DELIVERING DPD EXAMINATIONS

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PINS STRATEGY FOR DELIVERING DPD EXAMINATIONS

• Leonora Rozee
• Director of Policy / Head of Profession
• The Planning Inspectorate

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PINS examination strategy

• Undertake 21 DPD examinations in period April
  September 2006
• Team of experienced Inspectors agree approach to
  issues arising in examination process and develop
  good practice advice
• Evaluate lessons learned - disseminate good
  practice advice through website, via PAS and
  through advisory visits to LPAs individually
  and/or collectively

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Purpose of Examination

• Test soundness PPS 12 and PINS Soundness Guide
• Wider remit
• No longer a focus on objections
• Major implications for the format of the
  examination and the Inspectors report
• Plan making authority must satisfy themselves
  that SEA is adequate.

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Format of Examination

• Local plan/UDP inquiry format no longer
  appropriate. Fresh thinking required
• EiP approach provides a model
• Emphasis on informal/round table sessions
• Advocates and formal sessions very much the
  exception. Needs special justification
• Tight timetable

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Role of Inspector/s

• Pro-active role
• Examination starts with submission.
• Inspector appointed at submission stage
• May hold exploratory meetings
• Will identify relevant issues and matters for
  discussion
• Team approach including use of advisors

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Role of Participants

• Right to appear unlike EiP
• Input should assist Inspector to form a view
  about soundness of the DPD not a planning
  appeal inquiry
• Inspector may invite other parties
• Expect to be challenged.
• Relate representations to the tests of soundness
  

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Binding Reports

• Basic approach -assume that the DPD is sound.
  PINS taking this very seriously. Significant
  implications for plan making authorities get it
  as right as possible.
• Complications introduced by pre-examination
  changes and omission sites
• Any changes made by Inspector must themselves be
  sound and based on evidence before the
  examination

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Experience to Date

• Slippage in many DPD programmes
• Consequently no examinations into DPDs yet
  completed
• First opening of hearing part of an examination
  scheduled for April
• SCI examinations mostly based on written
  representations approach. A handful of SCI
  hearings held. Very limited lessons from these
  

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Contact details

• Leonora Rozee
• Director of Policy
• Room 4/09 Temple Quay House, 2 Market Square,
  Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN
• 0117 372 8961
• Leonora.rozee_at_pins.gsi.gov.uk