HSE launches land-use planning advice service
Enhanced service aims to reduce the amount of red tape involved in the land-use planning process
A NEW service making it easier and quicker for developers and local planning authorities to access land-use planning information and advice has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The HSE says it has launched the enhanced service to reduce the amount of red tape involved in the planning process, which should help businesses to take advantage of commercial opportunities and will aid the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of local authorities.
The new service, which allows developers and others to make enquiries related to any plot of land, was introduced on Monday 28 July but will be fully rolled out in March 2015, with the HSE’s Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) taking on an increased role in delivering advice on planning applications.
The service is designed to support early and positive engagement using an enhanced pre-application service. Developers and others will gain increased access to the HSE’s assessment tools and techniques, making the whole process faster and simpler.
Peter Brown, head of the HSE’s Hazardous Installations Policy Division, said: ‘The advisory service is being planned and designed around what users need.
‘Discussions with developers and other parties involved in the planning process have indicated that being able to find out more detail about a piece of land in advance of purchase helps to quicken the development process and can also save significant costs.
‘By allowing easier and more transparent access to the HSE’s Land Use Planning advice, developers and planners will be able to get quick or even immediate answers to queries related to a plot of land they may be interested in purchasing or developing.’
The paid-for business-facing service will generate increased effectiveness and efficiency, will allow better informed planning decisions at a local level and will create greater transparency in the HSE’s decisions and operations.
The new service can be accessed via the HSL and HSE websites or by calling: (01298) 218159.
