Is public inquiry reopening really a closing?

2.19.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 6th Nov 2007

Peter Gardiner, Lib Dem lead councillor on planning visits the South Downs with Norman Baker and local campaigners.

Lewes District Council's lead councillor on planning issues is calling for the local government minister Hazel Blears to replace Robert Parry as the inspector who will chair the public inquiry into the South Downs National Park when it reopens in February.

Peter Gardiner, the district's Lead Councillor for planning, says the appointment of the same man who chaired the original inquiry is effectively a rubber stamp for the controversial and unpopular changes that will adversely affect people in Lewes, Ditchling and Seaford.

"It's good news that the inquiry has been reopened," says Councillor Gardiner, "but we need to make sure it will actually look at the issues rather than rubber stamp the proposed controversial changes. And how on earth are we going to get an independent view with the same person? No matter how diligent and trustworthy the inspector may be, he will find it difficult to review his own suggestions and come to a different conclusion. It's more a closing of an inquiry, not a reopening.

"More important still, the areas of land recently deleted from the proposed National Park are apparently not going to be discussed at all. For Lewes, Ditchling and Seaford this means effectively no review of many of the inspector's suggestions. No-one knew the inspector was going to delete huge areas until his report was published, and now there may be no meaningful opportunity to question these decisions."