The staff and functions of Planning Inspectorate Wales are set to transfer from English to Welsh Government from 1 October. The new division will be called Planning and Environment Decisions Wales – Penderfyniadau Cynllunio ac Amgylchedd Cymru.
Existing planning appeals and casework currently handled by Planning Inspectorate Wales will transfer to the new service from October, along with Developments of National Significance cases. However, Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects that include locations in Wales under the Planning Act 2008 will not be affected by the separation and will continue under the English Planning Inspectorate.
Although the division is new to Welsh Government, existing Inspectors and support staff will simply transfer to Welsh Government to carry out the same functions. The Government has underlined that robust governance arrangements have been established to ensure that Inspectors continue to determine appeals and other casework with the same objectivity and impartiality as before.
To facilitate the transition there will be a pause in the acceptance of Wales-based cases from 16 September, while existing cases are transferred to a new casework processing system. Customers will therefore not be able to submit Wales-based appeals or statements and evidence via the Appeals Casework Portal after 16 September, but instead can submit them by email and post.
The team in Wales will continue working on existing cases from 16 September to 29 September. Following a short training period, all casework will resume from 11 October when Planning and Environment Decisions Wales is fully operational.
If customers submit a case or appeal to the team in the Wales office after 16 September, the date of submission will be accepted as the date the appeal is made in relation to the statutory deadlines for submitting appeals and other cases. Enquiries will then be processed as soon as possible after the transfer to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales.
Finally, the change of casework systems will result in a change to case reference numbers but customers will be informed of new numbers in due course, including further details on the new Wales-based online portals.
Customers can contact the Wales team at the following address:
Planning Inspectorate Wales
Crown Building
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ
Or via email at wales@planninginspectorate.gov.uk
For more information visit www.gov.wales/planningappeal.
