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Recruitment for chair of Infrastructure Planning Commission opened

Recruitment for the Chair for the proposed Infrastructure Planning Commission was launched today by Planning Bill Minister John Healey.

The appointment of the Chair will be subject to the pre-appointment scrutiny of a Parliamentary Select Committee and carried out in accordance with the Public Appointments Code of Practice.

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the Planning Bill, the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) will be a new independent national body that makes planning decisions on nationally significant transport, energy water and waste infrastructure applications.

The IPC will play a vital role in speeding up the process for nationally significant infrastructure projects that will save business and the taxpayer up to £5bn by 2030 and ensure councils and communities have a greater say in decisions. Decisions will be based on a new framework of National Policy Statements set out by Government which will be subject to public consultation and special Parliamentary scrutiny.

The successful candidate will need to set up, lead and rapidly establish the credibility of the IPC. Beginning the recruitment for the Chair now will allow the IPC to be established more quickly after Royal Assent subject to Parliamentary Approval of the Planning Bill.

John Healey said:

"The Planning Bill will create a new faster, fairer system for major infrastructure planning decisions that will have at its heart a new Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) that can take individual decisions based on the new national policy framework.

"It is vital that we recruit a top class Chair that can establish the IPC, answer to Parliament and ensure the voices of local people are heard."

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate the following skills:

• A high calibre communicator able to represent the IPC in front of Parliament and the media;
• Dynamic leadership;
• Senior experience of running a high profile decision making organisation.

Crucial aspects of the chair's role will be:

• Ensuring the engagement of local communities in the examination of major infrastructure applications and that all voices are heard in the new process;
• Ensuring impartial and independent decision making;
• Account for the overall performance of the IPC to Parliament;

The nature of the post will preclude the Chair from holding any direct interests within the infrastructure sector that might be seen to compromise their or the IPC's independence or impartiality.

Notes to editors

1. Treasury and Parliamentary Approval for additional resources to fund the recruitment were agreed in September. Recruitment expenditure estimated at £50,000 will be met by a repayable cash advance from the Contingencies Fund.

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