LETTER: Issues raised with PI chief

With a number of residents, we have compiled a letter which was sent to the new chief executive of The Planning Inspectorate, Mr Simon Ridley, on 6 February 2015. The letter was about the way the inspection was carried out in November last year in consideration of HDC’s plans for housing and economic development.

A phone call to the chief inspector’s office in mid-March sought to discover why no reply had been received to the letter – well over their target of 20 working days –with no acknowledgement or explanation as to the process and reasons for delay. When further issues were discovered, another letter was sent on 27th March.

A letter has now been received in reply to both letters (Feb 6th and March 27th) stating the delay has been caused by the ‘complexity of the issues raised’.

The details are too long to be published here but both letters can be seen at www.savingnorthhorsham.co.uk .

It is worth remembering that we pay ‘around’ ( much overused word in HDC at present) £40m pa for the PI and they are accountable to Ministers and the Secretary of State Eric Pickles.

Dr GEOFFREY RICHARDSON

Tennyson Close, Horsham