THE 16-WEEK delay in handling planning applications is to be reviewed. The Policy Council has approved the appointment of Chris Shepley to carry it out.

But Environment minister David De Lisle said his department had always backed the idea and claimed the review would help reform the planning service.

Mr Shepley will make his first visit to the island next week to meet ministers and members of the strategic land planning group. He will also discuss the current process with the Environment board.

Deputy De Lisle said he had asked for the efficiency review that took place after he became minister in March.

Opening up the department for an external audit was one of the suggestions of that review, he said.

‘I had all sorts of ideas where I could have changed the system within a month when I became minister, but it’s not that easy,’ he said.

He said the new planning law, which was approved by the States in 2005 and will see the introduction of fees for applications, would make a massive difference and he added that Mr Shepley’s review would help implement those changes.

‘By bringing in the new law, a lot is going to change,’ Deputy De Lisle said.

‘As soon as you charge for planning applications, people become more rigorous and more thoughtful about the way they fill in their applications. The department also becomes more rigorous as a result.’

Deputy De Lisle said his attitude in Policy Council meetings had always been that an external review would be a major help to the department.

‘This audit is coming just at the right time because just as we are going into the new law we have someone coming in who can review the way forward,’ he said.

‘An independent external audit will evaluate the present service and put forward reasoned recommendations for change.

‘Mr Shepley’s report will provide the framework for reforming the planning service to enable the successful implementation of the new law.’

He added that planning officers had been fully supportive of the audit.

‘The same thing was done in Jersey and it has been very helpful for them so there is no reason why it would not do the same for us,’ he said.

‘I think the public would fully support us doing this at this time.’