**Chief People Officer Hayley Kelly talks about the inspiration she has drawn from the recent CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition and her pride in helping make PINS a great place to work**. Hayley Kelly Attending the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) Annual Conference and Exhibition (ACE) is always a highlight of my professional calendar. It's more than just a series of sessions – it's an opportunity to step away from the day-to-day, recharge, and immerse myself in fresh thinking.  At ACE 2025 I connected with colleagues of old, alongside meeting new and inspiring HR professionals; I certainly left with my battery charged and have shared much of my learning with my fellow HR professionals in the Planning Inspectorate – or PINS as we call ourselves. A particular highlight for me was hearing Professor Kevin Fong share his lessons on teamwork and decision-making under pressure. His advice on leadership resonated deeply – “Most people can do most things. Your job is to make people do it better than they believe they can.”  I also left with one of the CIPD’s theme’s – Together we can make work work for all – circling my mind. There are so many examples of ‘together’ in the Inspectorate with our senior leaders, trade unions, employee networks, and so many colleagues across the organisation working together to make the Planning Inspectorate great. Events like this remind me why continuous learning and connection matter and that we should all lead with curiosity, creativity, courage, and care. They also remind me of the great things we already have to offer our colleagues here in the Planning Inspectorate. ### **Our offer** We're very proud that the Inspectorate’s work is at the heart of the government’s Plan for Change with its aims to build 1.5 million homes​ and make 150 infrastructure decisions​ in this parliamentary term. We have so many dedicated colleagues across the organisation, working hard and enabling us to step up to this challenge, and we continue to seek new talented people to meet the demands.​ Last year we launched our Strategic People Plan setting out our ambitions to make the Planning Inspectorate ‘an even better place to work.’  The views of our colleagues were crucial to that plan which ultimately sets the course to ensure that working for the Inspectorate means: * Your excellence is rewarded – you'll receive a salary that compares very well across the Civil Service, alongside access to our market leading pension scheme, and an opportunity to be recognised and rewarded through our approach to celebrating success. * You'll have a wide range of career development and learning opportunities with the tools you need to progress. * Truly flexible working – you'll have plenty of opportunity to find a balance that works, alongside a suite of offers to look after your wellbeing. * Working in a fantastic environment that is safe, inclusive and supportive.  Our world class office facilities are right in the centre of Bristol, close to the public transport network and surrounded by shops, leisure options, and diverse places to eat and drink.  Our recent recruitment activities have shown that we are attracting incredibly talented people, and they have been warmly welcomed across the organisation. ### **A warm welcome** Our new Welcome Day events have been one of highlights of my year. Built on the foundations of ‘The PINS Way’ which sets out clearly the values and behaviours that we hold dear, the events are an opportunity for new colleagues to come together to be curious about the whole organisation, form connections with fellow new joiners, all guided by the expertise of longer serving colleagues, kindly offering their time to share their friendship and knowledge. Here's just a small example of their feedback. ‘ _I’ve never seen this happen anywhere else before and think it was a brilliant and well organised event._ ’ _‘Was great to meet the Executive Team and hear directly from them – and I think really useful for those that have come from outside the Civil Service._ ’ _‘I appreciated the opportunity to talk to a wide range of people including other new starters, senior colleagues and members of various teams I might not otherwise interact with much.’_ The Welcome Day is just one example of our culture, and ‘The PINS Way’ in action. We want to be an organisation where we challenge and support each other to be the best we can be, where we are respectful to one another both as individuals and professionals and are curious about how we can make our organisation even better. There are so many inspiring stories across the organisation of ‘The PINS Way’ in action. Living by our values and consistently demanding and demonstrating the right behaviours is crucial to our success. ### **Why not join us?** I'm always inspired and full of ideas after the CIPD annual conference and this year was no different. Our conversations allowed us to draw on our shared experiences and challenges and see how we can use them to help make our respective organisations even better places to work. Please have a look in greater detail about a career at the Planning Inspectorate and I look forward to seeing you at one of our welcome days soon. PINS – Hub | Civil Service Careers

**Louise Gibbons talks about the most recent programme officer training offered by the Planning Inspectorate, and the importance of the role within the local plans examination process.** Programme officers play a crucial role in the examination process. With a genuinely plan-led framework, getting a plan ready for examination from local planning authorities takes time, effort and community. This is a long and careful process - once the plan comes to us at the Planning Inspectorate, we  aim to run examinations as quickly and efficiently as possible. The programme officer, or PO plays a central role in this process, acting as the vital communication channel between inspectors, local planning authorities, and all examination participants. ## **Equipping programme officers for planning excellence** It's vital that programme officers understand the essential duties of their role and their relationship to the inspector’s role as much as possible. To help with this, we recently held programme officer training, attended by 11 people, for soon to be and existing programme officers alike. The role requires exceptional organisational skills, attention to detail, but most importantly, the ability to communicate effectively across different channels and groups of people, whilst being as objective and calm as possible. Attendees wishing to get training come from various backgrounds ,  with a wide range of experience including project management and working in various roles in local authorities.  Everyone’s unique background brings transferable skills, like communication and process management. The key training covered the programme officer guidance for local planning authorities – but mostly the event was designed to be interactive and discussion-based  - with the group collectively answering questions and sharing their lived experiences and tips for best practice. ## **Why is programme officer training offered?** With the government’s push for full local plan coverage, those who attended noted that the role of programme officer is a growing profession and that the role – and training in turn – is more vital than ever. This was the second round of training this year, and with the expected increase of local plans submitted, there will be more to come – with the next session likely to happen in early spring. As a conduit between the local authority and the inspector, a programme officer’s role is invaluable to the time saved and effective running of the examination. A job that sits in the heart of different areas of planning roles, it’s rewarding, flexible and a fascinating way to see the planning process in action from all perspectives.  If you are interested in programme officer training, contact: **plans.admin@planninginspectorate.gov.uk**  for more details.

Every year on 8 November, planners and communities across the world come together to celebrate World Town Planning Day – a moment to recognise how good planning improves lives, creates vibrant places to live, work and play, and shapes sustainable, inclusive communities for the future. This year's theme is __ 'With Planning We can!' – celebrating planning as part of the solution to the social, economic and environmental challenges we face. From delivering the right homes in the right locations to working with nature to address climate challenges, planning empowers communities and creates pathways to prosperity for all. Here at the Planning Inspectorate, we're proud to play our part in this mission, ensuring decisions are fair, robust and consider both local needs and the bigger picture. On this 75th anniversary of World Town Planning Day, we're reflecting on what planning means to us and the difference we can make together. ## Building diverse careers in planning To better serve our community, we encourage many routes into working with the Planning Inspectorate, with people coming into our organisation from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences. Katy Dryden, Jamauri Brown and Stephen Barnes, recently recruited to the Planning Inspectorate, tell us how they got here and what they want to see and contribute to the future of planning. **Katy Dryden** joined as a planning inspector after 27 years working within local planning authorities. _"I’m hoping that the future of planning will involve building respect and understanding of its meaningful role and value to society. The planning profession can be seen negatively in the public gaze, and we can help influence this perception through education. Greater interaction is needed with education establishments to promote the career for students interested in human geography and environmental/ social issues. Innovative pathways such as apprenticeships should be fully explored to widen access to planning careers and to ensure that the workforce truly reflects our diverse communities."_ **Jamauri Brown** is a case officer for the Planning Inspectorate, and came to us as an apprentice. _"I started my journey in planning back in May last year as an administrative apprentice, and it's been eye-opening to see how much teamwork, organisation, and communication go into shaping fair and sustainable decisions. Since then, I've developed a real appreciation for how planning impacts everyday lives - from communities to infrastructure. Looking ahead, I'd like to continue leveraging my skills and confidence as a case officer, gaining deeper technical knowledge and contributing to projects that use innovation, like AI in an ethical way - this would help streamline the repetitive processes, improve data analysis and free up time for planners to focus more on decision making. For me, the goal is to keep developing while helping make the planning process more transparent, efficient, and accessible for everyone Involved."_ ** ****Stephen Barnes** is a planning inspector and has a background in development management in local government and working with councils across England to promote digital planning. _"Growing up on a housing waiting list, I’m keenly aware that some voices that we hear from the least in our planning process are those with the greatest need. Becoming an inspector is a huge privilege - it allows me to help ensure decisions are both technically sound and consider the big picture, including the interest of local communities . Looking ahead, I hope we use this moment of huge pressure to rethink how planning processes work:__to make them_ _more responsive, inclusive, and able to meet today’s challenges._ " ## Shape the future of planning At the Planning Inspectorate, we're undertaking the largest expansion of the planning inspector profession in decades. We're keen to build a team that reflects the communities we serve, bringing diverse perspectives to the appeals process and local plan examinations. We're recruiting planning inspectors to conduct local plan examinations across England – and we want to hear from experienced planning professionals. This is a rare opportunity to use your planning expertise to influence strategic development across England, work on varied and complex casework, and enjoy flexible, predominantly home-based working. As part of the Civil Service, you'll benefit from excellent pension schemes, generous annual leave and flexible working. Could you be part of shaping planning's future? Register your interest to be notified when applications open.

**Graham Stallwood, Chief operating officer for the Planning Inspectorate, reflects on the practical impact of the Planning Inspectorate’s work and gives his insights into our most recent performance update.** Graham Stallwood We make 75-80 decisions and recommendations every working day on average and approaching 20,000 every year, each of them made with the highest care and consideration. However, in amongst the sheer volume it’s important to remind ourselves of the real impact those decisions make. In the seven Local Plan examinations opening in September and October 103,000 homes are proposed to be built. Not only is that giving more people the opportunity to have a decent, safe place to call home, perhaps giving more people a chance to get on the property ladder, but it's contributing considerably to the Government’s aim of having 1.5m homes built during this parliament. And it's not just Local Plans making a difference. Last month you will have seen the Department for Transport granted development consent for the Gatwick Airport Northern Runway application. They also gave development consent for the M62/M60/M66 Simister Island junction improvements following our examinations and recommendations, contributing to the government’s pledge to make decisions on 150 major economic infrastructure projects. The impact of that will be felt most by the 90,000 drivers a day (see notes) who pass through the Simister Interchange who can perhaps look forward to getting to work or home quicker or reaching appointments in a more relaxed state because of the planned work to ease that junction. ## **Our performance** Our latest performance statistics have just been published, and I’m really pleased with progress in some key areas. We're making quicker decisions. The median decision time for deciding appeal cases in September was 20 weeks (19 weeks for those decided by written representation), while the average over the past 12 months was 25. We're consistently bringing down the number of open cases. At the end of September this year we had 10,718 having worked hard to reduce it from 13,305 at the end of October 2024. ## **You can help** We'll keep doing all we can to decide cases by inquiries and hearings within 26 weeks, but there's more you can do to help us: * Only appeal when ready for an event. We need to be holding hearings in weeks 10-14 and inquiries in weeks 13-16. We won't hold off arranging an event due to availability of your preferred team * If the hearing or inquiry is to be held in person, the appellant can help the Council book a suitable venue too. Don’t forget that you can also talk to the inspector about holding all or part of the event virtually * Only submit essential evidence and don't duplicate it. It's harder for the Inspector to identify the case you're making if you throw everything at them * Stick to the timetable. Attempting to submit evidence outside of this causes frustration and delays for everyone in the system. ## **Progress in our services** We're making progress in streamlining the local plan process for LPAs. We’ve just launched a pre-examination checklist so LPAs and the Planning Inspectorate can check if a Plan is ready for submission. This will potentially save all parties time and money and prevent more Plans from being found unsound. And as our Head of Service for Local Plans, Andrew Megginson, says in his blog, “We've also enhanced our programme officer training, recognising that an efficient programme officer can save considerable time and ensure smooth examination processes. Our next training session is on 5 November, and I'd encourage any authority considering internal recruitment to take advantage of this free resource.” We continue to work to speed up each part of the NSIP process including a focus on expediting the pre-application and pre-examination stages and we are still hitting all our statutory timeframes. So that's a whistlestop tour of our corner of the planning world. It’s busy and the challenge is for us to get even quicker without compromising our quality, but it is a challenge we relish as we work together with you to improve the planning system for all. ### notes National Highways’ project information on the expected benefits of the Simister Island DCO - M60 junction 18 Simister Island Interchange - National Highways See our Background Quality Report for details on how we report on open cases - Quarterly official statistics - background quality report 23 October 2025 - GOV.UK

**Interim Chief Planning Inspector, Rebecca Phillips, reflects on the opportunities and challenges for housing development following changes to national planning policy on Green Belt.** Rebecca Phillips At this year’s National Planning Conference I was lucky enough to be part of a panel discussion tantalisingly titled**‘** The Grey Belt debate: Exploring the impact of land categorisation on development viability.’ My fellow panel members were drawn from different corners of the development world and it’s always so worthwhile and instructive to listen to the views and real-life examples of how policy plays out in the wider planning system. ## **What is Grey Belt?** Grey belt is a relatively new term which opens up possibilities in plan-making and decision-making. It is described in full here in the updated National Planning Policy Framework (see Page 73) which saw the introduction of Grey Belt land within the Green Belt where it makes a limited contribution to its core purposes. This land is now prioritised for development – where housing needs cannot otherwise be met. ## **Grey Belt in practice** Its practical use is complex, and as the panel reflected, will present some planning challenges – particularly around development viability. Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are required to review Green Belt boundaries if they cannot meet development needs using non-Green Belt land – signalling a shift of the policy from being discretionary to mandatory. LPAs must now balance housing delivery targets with Green Belt protections. However, there is still a sequential approach to land release with brownfield land being considered first, then Grey Belt and Green Belt land – but only if necessary. The introduction of Golden Rules  (see paragraph 156 of the National Planning Policy Framework) for major development includes a higher affordable housing requirement on Green Belt sites (up to 50%) as well as infrastructure and accessible green space requirements. Members of the panel argued that higher affordable housing and other contributions could depress land values, especially for sites newly released from the Green Belt. There was also acknowledgement from the panel that there are considerable variations in viability depending on location. It was argued that in some regions where land values are lower, affordable housing targets and other requirements could well render schemes unviable. ## **What next?** This means for LPAs, as ever, strategic planning is key. For developers, constructive and early dialogue, site selection and financial modelling is more critical than ever. At the Planning Inspectorate we understand this is a complex part of policy and we’re keen to share our insights and information wherever possible. If you haven’t managed to catch it already, our webinar on decision making in Green Belt appeals is really useful. The National Planning Conference was held in Manchester and was hosted by the RTPI, Planning Portal and The Planner. **ENDS** **Panel Members for The Grey Belt Debate were:** Dan Williams – Chief Revenue Officer TerraQuest and Planning Portal Rebecca Phillips – Interim Chief Planning Inspector Megan Wilson – Head of Planning, Marrons Mark Skillbeck – UK Planning Director, Taylor Wimpey Plc Annette Roberts – Corporate Director for Place and Communities, South Staffordshire District Council

**Andrew Megginson is Head of Service for Local Plans at the Planning Inspectorate where he leads the operational delivery of local plan examinations across England. Together with Simon Berkeley, Professional Lead for Local Plans, they recently delivered a comprehensive webinar on preparing local plans for successful examination.** Last week, Simon and I had the privilege of hosting a webinar titled "**Getting it right first time: Preparing your local plan for successful examination**". With over 400 attendees and a wealth of questions from attendees, it reinforced just how critical this moment is for local plan making. ## **The scale of the challenge** The statistics we shared paint a clear picture: only 27% of local planning authorities currently have an up-to-date local plan. With the government's commitment to delivering 1.5 million homes by 2029, local plans play an essential role in enabling plan-led development. Our projections show 147  additional plans expected for submission between now and the end of 2026 – a dramatic increase from the 18 plans we examined in 2023/24. This step change in demand has prompted us to think differently about how we support local authorities through the examination process. It's not just about managing our own resources – though we've significantly expanded our inspector base and continue recruiting – it's about working collaboratively to ensure plans arrive ready for examination. ## Clear messages from government The Minister of State's letter of 30 July 2024 was, in many ways, a game changer. It raised the bar for plan quality at submission, making clear that local planning authorities must not submit plans unless they're genuinely ready for independent examination. The presumption that inspectors will use significant time and resources to 'fix' fundamental problems during examinations is no longer acceptable. This isn't about being less supportive – quite the opposite. It's about being smarter in how we channel that support to where it can be most effective: during plan preparation rather than when it’s too late. ## **The fundamentals still matter** During our webinar, Simon Berkeley reminded everyone that the basic requirements haven't changed. Legal compliance, including the duty to cooperate, remains absolutely critical – and it's the one thing an inspector legally cannot remedy for you during examination. The four tests of soundness continue to be the benchmark against which all plans are assessed. However, we're seeing recurring issues: inadequate consideration of alternatives in sustainability appraisals, unresolved duty to cooperate problems, unrealistic delivery assumptions, and poor integration between evidence and policies. These are preventable problems, but they require attention during plan preparation, not at examination. Simon was clear in his advice – seek support before you submit, use Advisory Visits (which are free of change) and don’t submit if you’re in doubt over those four tests of soundness. ## **Questions from the field** The Q&A session revealed some important insights into concerns shared within the system. Many questions focused on the transition between the current and new planning systems – and it’s clear planned upcoming guidance on the new system will be welcomed. Resource pressures featured heavily, both in terms of local authority capacity and concerns about our own ability in the Inspectorate to process the anticipated volume of submissions. Questions about programme officer availability, sustainability appraisal requirements, and the practicalities of examination websites all highlighted the operational challenges that sit alongside the policy complexities. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many questions sought clarity on aspects of the new system that simply aren't finalised yet. This uncertainty is challenging, but as we emphasised in the webinar: "don't stop planning." The fundamental work of evidence gathering, community engagement, and policy development continues regardless of which system ultimately applies. ## **Our support offer** One theme that ran throughout both the presentation and the questions was the importance of early engagement. The Planning Inspectorate has significantly expanded our Advisory Visit service – these free, without-prejudice discussions with experienced inspectors can help identify potential issues before they become examination blockers. If you would like to book in an Advisory Visit please contact us at: _plans.admin@planninginspectorate.gov.uk_ We've also enhanced our programme officer training, recognising that an efficient programme officer can save considerable time and ensure smooth examination processes. Our next training session is on 5 November, and I'd encourage any authority considering internal recruitment to take advantage of this free resource. Please contact us for further details. From 6 October, we introduce pre-examination checklists – another tool to help ensure plans are genuinely ready before formal submission. These aren't barriers but support mechanisms, providing early feedback on practical readiness and essential documentation. ## **Planning reform: preparing for change** The new gateway approach, with its emphasis on pre-submission checks and streamlined processes, reflects many of the same principles we're already advocating: better preparation leads to more efficient examinations. Gateway Two, in particular, offers extended opportunities for dialogue between authorities and inspectors – essentially an enhanced version of our current Advisory Visit service. While we await detailed regulations, the direction of travel is clear: more front-loaded support and collaboration during plan preparation. The digital transformation agenda is equally significant. The Planning Inspectorate's Digital & Data team is exploring a centralised service for submitting relevant representations on local plans, aiming to reduce burdens on local planning authorities and create consistent citizen experiences. This complements MHCLG's Create and Update a Local Plan (CULP) service and the new Gateway process to streamline the planning system and improve decision timelines. ## **The choice ahead** For many authorities, an important decision is on the horizon: complete your plan under the current system or wait for the new regime. As we emphasised in the webinar, you can't straddle both tracks – the choice needs to be made decisively. What you can do now, regardless of your chosen path is to continue planning. The development of a local plan will still include evidence base development, baseline data gathering, engagement planning, and governance arrangements. Most importantly, keep us informed of your intentions so we can resource appropriately. ## **Looking forward** The transition period will be challenging, but our message is clear: **don't let uncertainty become paralysis**. Whether you're working within the current system or preparing for the new one, the fundamental principles of good plan-making remain constant. We're committed to being part of the solution, developing new resources based on your feedback and working closely with MHCLG on the detailed design of the new system. The poll from our webinar will help shape our future support offer – more topic-specific workshops and guidance tailored to the issues you're actually facing. Success will require close collaboration between local authorities, the Planning Inspectorate, government departments, and the wider planning community. We're here to help through Advisory Visits, programme officer training, pre-examination checklists, and ongoing dialogue about your plan preparation. The next few years will test our collective capacity and resilience, but they also offer the opportunity to build a more effective, responsive planning system. By working together and learning from each other's experiences, we can navigate this transition successfully. As we said in the webinar, prevention is better than cure. Let's use the tools available to get it right first time.

The Planning Inspectorate has long provided appellants with the right to appeal decisions made by local planning authorities (LPAs). For a number of years, this process has been managed through the Appeals Casework Portal (ACP). From 1 December this year, the ACP will close to all new planning appeals. ## The journey so far With the rise of digital services, the ACP became the central hub for managing appeals. It provided a structured, accessible way for appellants, LPAs, and interested parties to interact with the appeals process. However, as technology and user expectations evolved, so too did the need for a more modern, efficient, and user-friendly system. Recognising the limitations of the ACP and the opportunities presented by digital transformation, the Planning Inspectorate embarked on a journey to develop a new, streamlined service based on the GOV.UK design system: the Appeal A Planning Decision Service. This aimed to: * simplify the submission and management of appeals * improve communication between all parties * reduce reliance on paper-based processes * continuously improve the service based on user feedback Following a successful pilot with 5 London boroughs, the new service has demonstrated significant improvements in efficiency and user experience. See our previous news item. The phased rollout began with a handpicked selection of smaller LPAs in the Southwest, and as of the 1 October 2025 more than half of all LPAs in England have been brought into the service. The remaining LPAs, including the largest in the country, will be joining the service over the next two months. ## The closure of the ACP As part of this digital transformation, the Planning Inspectorate is announcing that the ACP will close to all new planning appeals from 1 December 2025 and all new enforcement appeals by the end of March 2026. From this date, all new planning appeals must be submitted through the new Appeal A Planning Decision Service. Appeals that have been started but are yet to be submitted can still be completed and submitted through the ACP. This marks a significant milestone in the modernisation of the planning appeals process, ensuring that it remains fit for purpose in a digital age, and allows the organisation to support the government’s goal of speeding up and streamlining planning decisions. ## What does this mean for appellants and LPAs? For appellants: the new service offers a more intuitive and efficient way to submit and track appeals, with a more user-friendly interface that offers more information and support throughout the process. For LPAs: the platform provides enhanced tools for managing cases, monitoring progress, and communicating with all parties involved, as well as reducing the effort required to manage cases. For the Planning Inspectorate: the move supports ongoing efforts to deliver a faster, more efficient, and user-focused appeals process. ## Looking ahead The closure of the ACP and the full rollout of the Appeal A Planning Decision Service represent a step change in how planning appeals are managed in England. Our aim is to ensure that the appeals process is accessible, efficient, and responsive to the needs of all users. In coming years, the service will begin to use the Open Digital Planning project from the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government to automatically gather information from the original planning application to reduce the amount of work required by appellants and LPAs when submitting, and managing appeals. The service will also be expanded to include other appeal types such as environmental appeals, and the service will continue to be developed based on the feedback received from users.

Hafren Thomas, a Geography student from the University of Reading, reflects on her transformative placement year as an Environmental Impact Assessment Advisor at the Planning Inspectorate. From hands-on experience with planning appeals to navigating hybrid working, discover how her year in government helped bridge the gap between academic study and career aspirations. I am a BSc Geography (Human and Physical) student at the University of Reading, who also wanted to include a placement year in my degree. A placement year, sometimes called a sandwich year, is an optional year spent working in industry as part of a university degree, usually between the second and final years of study. The Environmental Impact Assessment Advisor (Student Placement) role at the Planning Inspectorate is a role designed for students studying an environmental related degree to gain real-life work experience. This role involves a variation of tasks on a day-to-day basis that focuses on project work, environmental screening, skill development, team collaboration, networking and training opportunities. When I came across the Environmental Impact Assessment Advisor (Student Placement) role it felt like the perfect fit. I’ve always been passionate about how humans interact with the environment and how we can improve that relationship. So, applying for this role was a no-brainer! Now that my placement year is coming to an end, it feels like the right time to reflect on why I chose to do it, what I’ve learned, and the new career paths I’m considering post-graduation. ## Why I chose to do a placement year Like a lot of students, I wasn’t totally sure what career I wanted to pursue after my degree. But I did know that I was interested in the environment, policies that affect it, and what we’re doing to protect it. Since I wanted to get the most out of my degree and build experience in a relevant field, a placement year felt like the perfect way to explore my interests and gain real-world insight. That decision led me straight to this opportunity! ## What I've gained from my placement year ### My role Working at the Planning Inspectorate has given me a real behind-the-scenes look at how planning appeals work. I’ve been able to see these processes unfold and even play a role in them myself. My work has ranged from supporting the team on larger projects to screening smaller appeals, handling admin tasks, organising meetings, assisting with report writing, and communicating with arms-length bodies. These are experiences I wouldn’t have gained without taking a placement year, and I’m so grateful for everything I’ve learned. ### Achievements There have been plenty of personal achievements this year like being trusted with contributions to reports, expanding my knowledge of PINS work and understanding the work that goes on to ensure developments are suitable and safe from environmental perspectives. However, my favourite achievements have come from the general work environment itself. I’ve really built on skills like: * strengthening team relationships * communicating effectively * knowing when to ask for help * seeking out extra learning opportunities * saying yes to new challenges (like writing a blog!) * getting involved in extracurriculars (networks and team activities) * learning to balance remote and office work etiquette * observing the new challenges and opportunities AI technology brings to the workplace ### Work from home vs office days I feel incredibly fortunate to have joined an organisation that supported me in exploring the best of both remote and office-based work. Being a hybrid worker has taught me a lot about how I work best and helped me clarify what I want from a future job after university. Although I was based out of an office in Bristol, I was supported in living at home in Barry. That support came in many forms, from virtual “Coffee Break” meetings where the whole team would drop into breakout rooms for spontaneous chats (replicating that all-important office communication and knowledge sharing), to regular check-ins from colleagues making sure I was coping okay with remote working. I always felt reassured that inboxes were open if I ever needed a chat. The team’s communication also made it easy to coordinate days in the office with others, which made those in-person moments more beneficial. Whether it was for team meetings, lunchtime walks, or joining in on cake Wednesdays! ### Outside the office One of the standout parts of my placement has been being part of an organisation that supports work-life balance. My biggest worry before joining was the leap from classroom to workplace. What I didn’t expect was how much the team would support that transition with fun, engaging challenges that supported communication beyond “work-chat”. My favourite was the Around-the-World Challenge. Teams of ten set out to walk the equivalent of Earth’s circumference by the end of February. Each day, we tracked our progress, celebrated new “destinations” reached, and kept each other motivated. It turned out to be a great mix of movement, motivation, and shared achievement that really brought the team closer. Other honourable mentions include the Veganuary Bake Sale and the 100km in May Challenge. ## Looking ahead My next challenge will be returning to university and tackling a dissertation. Surprisingly, my experience has also shaped my academic journey. The insights I've gained here have inspired the topic and research method I plan to use in my dissertation. Beyond university my placement has also really helped me think about my options for the future. I’ve been lucky enough to have conversations with individuals about their career journeys, which has given me great insight into different paths and nuggets of advice to take with me. Now, I’m looking into graduate schemes, master’s degree opportunities, gaining experience whilst travelling and roles to figure out the next steps for my career.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has gained pace in Parliament - and planning is at the heart of the Government’s Plan for Change , delivering new homes, speeding up essential infrastructure, and unlocking clean power. Each of us in planning holds a critical role in turning this vision into reality, whatever role, organisation or sector we are in. Only by working across perceived boundaries will we achieve it. Over the course of this Parliament the government aims to decide at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects. The Plan for Change recognises that is ambitious and a challenge. ## Our**performance** At the Planning Inspectorate, we’re stepping up. We’re meeting statutory deadlines for nationally significant infrastructure (NSIP) applications and finding new ways to accelerate processes without compromising on quality. We’re making time savings at every step of the process. And the work is having a tangible impact – the two most recent NSIP applications granted by the Secretary of State following our examination (Mona Offshore Wind Farm and the Oaklands Farm Solar Park) will provide enough clean energy to give power to more than a million homes. (See Notes) Ten new local plans started examination in June alone, the highest in a month for more than five years, with 61 plans in total currently being examined. You can see where at: Local Plan: monitoring progress - GOV.UK On appeals, momentum is building. Decision times are becoming faster and more predictable. Our latest official statistics show that since the end of January we’ve reduced the number of open cases by 1,466, and our average decision time for cases decided in June was 24 weeks, quicker than the 27-week average of the last 12 months. ## **What next?** But we hear you: even faster and more predictable times for appeal decisions still top your list of priorities. Encouragingly, more decisions are now being made within the ministerial targets we’re working towards – 20 weeks for written appeals and 26 weeks for hearing and inquiry appeals. But stubborn legacy cases remain, especially for lawful development certificates and written enforcement appeals. Deciding these is a top focus this year. There’s been a couple of exciting announcements too. Our new digital appeals service will be rolled out to all local planning authorities by December, making it much more efficient for all, while a simplified appeals process will help keep planning decisions local and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy. ### **Your support is needed** We can’t transform the system alone so here are a few things everyone can do to help us this year: 1. **Resolve issues locally** where possible – revise, resubmit with missing evidence, and reduce the need for appeal. 2. **Be laser-focused with your appeal evidence or representations** – clear, concise submissions make it easier for the Inspector to understand your case. The inspector doesn’t need extracts from the framework. Appeal decisions from other sites are rarely helpful. 3. **Shift to****GOV.UK for appeal submissions****.** You’ll see smoother submissions and faster starts as it will help your appeal be valid on submission. More and more appeals will be eligible to use it over the year. The outdated Appeals Casework Portal is being phased out. The Plan for Change is an opportunity for planning to demonstrate how good it is at delivery. To be successful we need to be dynamic, demanding and deeply collaborative. It needs all of us to work together. Please share your own thoughts. Notes: The figure for the number of homes powered by the latest two consented NSIPS is based on the size of the schemes and the MW of power they will generate. See Ofgem’s factsheet on electricity generation.

Be an independent decision maker. Planning Inspectors needed to lead on major plans and infrastructure. Apply by 8 June. ### **Embark on a role that makes a difference to the economy, environment and society** Are you a chartered professional looking for a role where you can directly influence sustainable development across England and Wales? The Planning Inspectorate is recruiting for 14 Band 2 and 20 Band 3 Planning Inspectors to help deliver the Government's economic, social, and environmental objectives. ### **What makes this role special?** As current Band 3 Inspector Yvonne Wright shares: "I came into the organisation ten and a half years ago directly into Band 2 to deal with local plans. I could bring all of my skills from the local plan policy world in local government." This is an opportunity to: * Work on some of the biggest and most interesting plans and projects across England and Wales * Lead on major infrastructure decisions that shape our communities * Enjoy a genuinely home-based role with flexible working options * Benefit from excellent civil service terms (including a pension with 28.97% employer contribution) ### **You don't need to be a planner!** While many inspectors have planning backgrounds, we welcome professionals from diverse disciplines including: * Engineering * Law * Architecture * Built heritage * Environmental sciences The essential requirement is chartered membership of a relevant professional body, alongside skills in analysis, decision-making, and communication. ### **What will you do?** You'll examine and make recommendations on: * Local Plans that determine where new homes and facilities are built * Infrastructure projects crucial to national energy, transport, and environmental needs * Government priorities including housing delivery and energy security Band 3 Inspectors additionally lead panels of fellow inspectors and provide mentoring support. ### **Support and development** You won't be thrown in at the deep end. The Inspectorate offers: * Comprehensive induction and ongoing training * Mentoring from experienced inspectors * Support groups of around 10 inspectors with an experienced Inspector Manager * Regular learning and development opportunities * Annual in-person events for all inspectors ### **Flexible, rewarding work** * Full home-based working with travel expenses covered * Full-time or part-time options available * Band 2 salary: £63,859 * Band 3 salary: £77,741 * Civil Service benefits including generous pension and maternity cover * Recognition scheme and employee assistance programmes ### **Application timeline** * Applications close: 8th June 2025 * Shortlisting: w/c 9th June 2025 * Interviews: w/c 30th June & w/c 7th July 2025 * Job offers: w/c 25th July 2025 * Start date: November 2025 ### **Ready for a new challenge?** If you're motivated, inquisitive and can confidently manage challenging public events while producing clear, well-reasoned reports to tight deadlines, we want to hear from you. Applications close in just 3 days – don't miss this opportunity to shape England and Wales' sustainable future. _Apply now through Civil Service Jobs before 11:55pm on Sunday 8th June 2025._ See our recording of a recent Q&A session where you can find out more about the roles.

The role of the expert witness, when carried out well, is vital to the smooth and successful running of planning appeals. **Rebecca Phillips, the Planning Inspectorate’s Interim Chief Planning Inspector** tells us how to be the most effective expert witness for everyone’s benefit. I was delighted to take part in a panel discussion at the recent annual Planning & Environment Bar Association (PEBA) conference to offer my thoughts on the inquisitorial role of Inspectors and the role of professional experts in informing Inspectors’ decisions. It goes without saying that Inspectors make their decisions with impartiality, however, the appeals they consider are often complex and technical and an effective witness can help to untangle that complexity and keep the event moving. A focussed submission on the main areas of dispute is much more compelling and persuasive and gives the Inspector a better understanding of the case to make a decision or recommendation. The Planning Inspectorate and PEBA have worked jointly to put together guidance on being an effective witness (see 3 protocols) and a good practice guide on the importance for all parties to agree a Statement of Common Ground (SoCG). A SoCG allows opposing parties to set out the areas they agree on to keep the appeal focused on the bits they don’t. So, based on the joint Planning Inspectorate and PEBA guidance here are my top tips on what Inspectors are looking for from experts giving evidence. * it may sound obvious but focus on the issues in dispute – work to narrow those issues * use the SoCG to work proactively with the opposing party to narrow those issues – use a topic-specific SoCG where helpful * highlight the areas of agreement/disagreement on technical studies – be prepared to be asked about the underlying assumptions or methodology which supports the findings * aim for conciseness in written submissions and when providing testimony as an expert * focus expert witnesses on those areas of disagreement – are they subjective or technical reasons for disagreement? Help the Inspector know which it is and why * don’t try and defend the indefensible – if there is harm (for example, green belt or heritage harm) say so and address potential harm findings * act within your professional code of conduct * play nice – be respectful of the Inspector, counsel and other witnesses. Find out even more about being an expert witness in our Presenting your evidence webinar

Last week, I had the pleasure of presenting at the Waterfront NSIP Conference, sharing updates about the Planning Inspectorate’s work and discussing the ongoing development of our infrastructure service. The room was full of infrastructure professionals with great energy and ideas, reflecting the sector's shared commitment to delivering crucial infrastructure projects efficiently and effectively. ## **Current State of Play** We're currently managing over 30 live NSIP applications, with a significant proportion comprising generating stations - particularly offshore wind and solar farms. What's particularly interesting is the pipeline of over 70 projects at pre-application stage. While the energy sector continues to dominate, we're seeing some notable trends: solar projects are increasing, as are electric line applications, while there's been a decline in both road projects and offshore wind developments. Our pre-application service continues to evolve, currently supporting: * 17 projects at Basic level * 48 at Standard level * 4 at Enhanced level ## **Service transformation** From April, we're implementing a new service model that puts the customer at its heart. This transformation is built on becoming increasingly digital by design and data-driven, while maintaining our professional standards and improving operational efficiency. We're following an Agile methodology and are particularly excited about several digital improvements currently in development, including an Applicant's Portal (currently in Alpha), AI-powered redaction tools (in Beta), GIS integration (in Alpha), and new recommendation systems (in the Discovery phase). I'm pleased to announce that we've updated our website to include a more structured feedback process through our customer contact form. Whether it's positive feedback or constructive criticism, we want to hear from you. We've also improved data accessibility, allowing you to export project summary information directly from our Project search page as CSV files. ## **Key learnings and advice** Our experience has highlighted several crucial points for successful NSIP applications. In the run up to and during pre-application, it's vital to thoroughly read and understand Government Guidance and our Pre-Application Prospectus. We strongly encourage early engagement with relevant parties around drafting of protective provisions and emphasise the importance of good design too! Do check out our recently updated and published advice and associated webinars. The first four months of our new Pre-application Service have provided valuable insights. We've learned the importance of comprehensive programme documents for resource planning, and the value of multi-partite meetings. We're continuing to refine our processes based on feedback. We will be launching customer surveys soon but are keen to receive feedback from all our stakeholders. ## **New guidance for linear infrastructure projects** I'm particularly excited to highlight our newly published advice note for linear NSIPs. This comprehensive guidance covers everything from electricity lines and pipelines to transport infrastructure, drawing on best practice and real examples from recent projects. The advice addresses crucial aspects including pre-application engagement, environmental impact assessment, design evolution, construction planning, land rights, and DCO preparation. This publication comes at a critical time as we see and anticipate increasing demand for our infrastructure service, particularly for linear infrastructure projects. We've designed this guidance to be practical and accessible, incorporating lessons learned from previous examinations to help both applicants and stakeholders navigate the complexities of linear infrastructure projects. To support this new guidance, we're hosting a detailed webinar on 6 March (12:30-14:00), where our experienced Examining Inspectors Annie Coombs and Richard Allen will share their insights from examining major linear schemes. This session will offer valuable opportunities for discussion and knowledge sharing through a Q&A session. If you can't make the session then keep an eye on our webinar page where a recording will be posted. ## **Looking forward** We're committed to continuous improvement. We're reviewing our pre-application service and exploring innovative improvements across all areas of our service. The launch of our new linear infrastructure guidance and accompanying webinar represents just one step in our ongoing journey to enhance our service delivery. ## **Final thoughts** Events like the Waterfront NSIP Conference are invaluable opportunities for dialogue with our stakeholders. As we move forward, we're placing greater emphasis on our engagement in effort to develop a responsive service delivery. The infrastructure sector faces significant challenges, but I'm confident that through collaboration and innovation, we can meet the government's ambitious infrastructure delivery targets while maintaining the highest standards of examination and decision-making. Your feedback and ideas for improvement are always welcome - they're essential to helping us deliver a better service for everyone involved in the NSIP process.