Sir Michael Pitt was announced as the chair of new Infrastructure Planning Commission today.

Housing and Planning Minister Margaret Beckett confirmed Sir Michael's appointment following his endorsement from the CLG Select Committee last week.

Sir Michael will officially take the role on May 1st with the IPC expected to begin to exercise some of its functions from 1st October 2009. Sir Michael will initially be participating in the recruitment of the Chief Executive and the other commissioners for the IPC. He will also be working to ensure the necessary preparations for the new body are made, including producing guidance for applicants to enable the IPC to function effectively from the date it begins operation.

Once the Commission is up and running the Chair is likely to be overseeing around 45 major cases a year and a larger number of less complex cases.

A consultation on the rules for developers submitting major applications to the IPC was also announced today.

The Government is committed to giving communities and councils more say in the planning system last year and the Planning Act included the first ever statutory duty on developers to consult local communities.

Potential applicants to the IPC will have to comply with statutory requirements to engage in pre-application consultation with local communities, local authorities, and those who would be directly affected by the proposals. This will give people a better opportunity to influence outcomes at an early stage.

Developers also get the opportunity to amend their plans before they reach the application stage with the aim of reducing delays later on.

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Notes to Editors

1. The new Infrastructure Planning Commission will be the body that will take decisions on applications for development consent for infrastructure proposals that are of national significance, based on clear statements of national policy set out by Government. It is being established under the provisions of the Planning Act 2008 and will begin to issue guidance from October 2009.

2. Sir Michael's appointment will be for five years and can be renewed, subject to satisfactory performance, up to a maximum of 8 years.

3. The remuneration of the Chair is £184,000 per annum for a time commitment of 4 days per week i.e. £230,000 per annum pro rata.

4. Sir Michael's remuneration, for the time being, as Chair of NHS South West is £49,013 per annum. He also receives £12,000 per annum as Chair of the GMC's Programme Board. He has no other public appointments.

5. In accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointee's political activity (if any) to be made public. Sir Michael has declared no political activity.

6. Sir Michael's nomination for the post was first announced on 10th March. More details and a copy of his biography are available at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1171531

7. Although these appointments do not come within the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, they are being made using a process which takes into account the Commissioner's Code of Practice as best practice. The IPC will be added to the list of NDPBs coming within the Commissioner's remit in the near future.

8. Full details of the consultation on the pre-application consultation and application procedures are available at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/consultationpreapplication

9. The Planning Act set out a new process by which nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) receive the necessary consents to proceed:

• The Secretary of State designates a series of National Policy Statements (NPSs), which set out the national need for infrastructure. • Promoters of NSIPs are required for the first time to engage in pre-application consultation with stakeholders and local communities • Formal applications for NSIPs are examined by a new independent Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC). Where an NPS is in force, the IPC will also determine the application.

10. In January, CLG published a “route-map” outlining the government's preferred approach to implementing the Planning Act. This said that we would consult on Regulations in three packages – the first package being on statutory consultees for NPSs, the second on pre-application procedures, and the third on the IPC's examination procedures. Consultation is already underway for the first package of Regulations.

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