RE: Dunsfold15 Nov 2021 09:48
The Planning Inspectorate is probably waiting for the nod from someone up the food chain, strange statement you may think, but with COP26 just having closed, then there will no doubt be some informal political skin in the game on this one. Sure the PI shouldn't have any dependency or answer to a master in Whitehall, but with the Tories now trailing Labour in the latest polls (love a bit of sleaze), then they'll be grasping for every opportunity to win some votes.
Just look at the announcement yesterday on MN disease, something that should gave been given funding ages ago, but <24 hours after COP26, the main story on BBC was about the MN funding rather than how India and China will continue their dependency on coal. The timing of the MN funding was a Tory effort to quickly move on and try and win some hearts and minds knowing that they are on the back foot. A good decision to fund MN disease research. I see them making some policy changes v soon, and it may be that the PI has been told to wait whilst these are being drafted for review. Stand by your beds.
A case of the longer it takes, the worst the outcome? A question not a statement.