On 1 October 2021, the staff and functions of Planning Inspectorate Wales will transfer to the Welsh Government.
The new division will be called Planning and Environment Decisions Wales - Penderfyniadau Cynllunio ac Amgylchedd Cymru.
Whilst the name of the organisation is new, Planning Inspectorate Wales’ inspectors and support staff will transfer to Welsh Government to carry out these functions.
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.
Planning appeals and other casework handled by Planning Inspectorate Wales will transfer to the new service, as will Developments of National Significance (DNS).
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) that include locations in Wales under the Planning Act 2008 will not be affected by the separation and will continue under the Planning Inspectorate (England).
The transition will involve the transfer of existing cases to a new casework processing system and to assist the transfer of data.
This will mean a pause in accepting new Wales-based cases (appeals and other cases) from 16 September.
Customers will not be able to submit Wales-based appeals or submit statements/evidence via the Appeals Casework Portal (ACP) after 16 September, but the team based in the Wales office will accept appeals, other casework and submit statements/evidence by email and post.
If customers submit an appeal or other case 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.
The appeal/case will be started as soon as possible after the transfer to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales.
The team in Wales will continue working on existing cases from 16 September to 29 September.
Following time to train on the new systems as part of the Welsh Government, they will resume casework from 11 October when Planning and Environment Decisions Wales is fully operational.
The change of casework systems will result in a change to case reference numbers, but customers will be informed of the new number and where to see all the documentation at the earliest opportunity once the transfer has happened.
Further details on the new Wales-based online portals will be issued soon.
PSE will be hosting a Public Sector Decarbonisation event on 9 September. Join us for the full day event by registering here.
