Better Transport

Planning Inspectorate
The Planning Inspectorate is an agency of the Department for Communities and Local Government. It handles public inquiries for all Highways Agency schemes and called-in local road schemes and decides which inspectors preside over inquiries. 

Government Office for the North East
The Government Office for North East handles the public inquiry around local road compulsory purchase orders and side road orders on behalf of the Government, even if the road is not in the North East. The office organises the inquiry, appoints the inspector, and decides whether a programme officer will be appointed.

The inspector
Obviously the inspector is the most influential person at the inquiry! Inspectors come from many backgrounds – they could be ex-planners, ex-military people, lawyers or engineers. They should treat all participants in an inquiry with respect and patience.

Rarely, some inquiry participants have found inspectors impatient and patronising. You should never be made to feel small or insignificant at an inquiry, and should be encouraged to give the best evidence you can. If you are unhappy with your inspector, complain to the Planning Inspectorate.

Programme officer
A programme officer is a very important person at the inquiry. The programme officer’s role is to ensure the smooth running of the inquiry – from arranging the programme to ensuring objectors have what they need and proofs of evidence are submitted on time. This function is almost always contracted out to an outside agency called Persona Associates.

The promotor
There will be banks of officials, consultants and barristers there to promote the road scheme. This shows how seriously they take the inquiry – remember, they could actually lose! Quite often they will have a QC, who is the top type of barrister.

Other local authorities
Often other local authorities will become involved in the inquiry, either objecting to or supporting the scheme, and they too will hire barristers. If they are objecting, they will be statutory objectors, and so often will be called first to give evidence.