Independent Planning Expert to Evaluate the Planning Review Report

Minister O’Sullivan Announces the Proposed Appointment of an Independent Planning Expert to Evaluate the Planning Review Report 

Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, today (12 September, 2012) announced the proposed appointment of Mr. Hendrik van der Kamp as the independent planning expert to evaluate the Planning Review Report (June 2012) assessing the application of planning legislation, policy and guidance within the development plan and development management systems at local level informing further policy development in this area.

Mr. van der Kamp, a town planner, is currently Head of the School of Planning in the Dublin Institute of Technology Bolton Street. He has operated in the Irish planning system since 1982 thereby obtaining a detailed knowledge and experience in virtually all components of the Irish planning system.

The Minister outlined, ‘The appointment of Mr. van der Kamp is to fulfill my commitment to have the Planning Review Report evaluated by an independent planning expert. While I have accepted fully the review completed by my Department, I am ensuring that the process, the report and its findings stand up to independent scrutiny by ensuring that all actions and recommendations and the full review on which they are based are to be considered by Mr. van der Kamp. “

The report sets out 12 actions that will address current deficiencies in the planning system and the Minister is committed to implementing all 12 actions. The Minister previously announced the proposed appointment of an independent planning expert to evaluate all actions contained in the planning review report and propose any additional measures deemed appropriate.  The independent consultant will also be tasked with examining a number of broader themes identified in the report and submitting recommendations for further action.

The Minister concluded, ‘I am delighted to be appointing someone of the calibre of Mr. van der Kamp and I look forward to receiving his review report in due course.  With this appointment there can be no doubt about the independence of the review process which will now be undertaken and I am in no doubt that the final output by Mr. van der Kamp will be one that all stakeholders can have full confidence in.