Over the past weeks, John Mattocks, a retired Planning Inspector and still-active consultant, with very many years' experience, has taken over as Planning Advisory Committee Chair at the RSGB.
From a couple of initial contacts with John, he seems a very sensible, polite chap with a lot to offer.
More than this, John appears quite keen to make Planning a central issue in RSGB activities, rather than being relegated to a single, very outdated advice sheet and the odd support letter from the MD.
By the former MD, Graham Coomber's own admission, the RSGB has lapsed long ago into a kind of lazy resignation that it can't change planning in favour of hams. Consequently, it had, at least until John Mattocks took over, stopped even trying.
This is what John had to say this week in personal correspondence:
"It is certainly my intention
that the RSGB, through PAC should, in future, take a much more
pro-active role in seeking to influence Government thinking in terms of
planning law and practice/guidance as it might affect radio amateurs.
It is of particular concern to me that planners in England have lost the
very useful parts of the former PPG8 dealing with issues such as radio
interference and making specific reference to the hobby. The RSGB
should have lobbied on the draft NPPF. We will have to be vigilant of
any similar move in the other constituent parts of the UK although, I
understand, there was never any reference in the Scottish guidance."
This is really very encouraging indeed, and I hope John is successful in carrying the other bigwhigs at the RSGB with him.
John adds:
"I intend to call the Planning Advisory Committee together for the first
time in years at the Newark Hamfest at the end of September. The scope
for taking a greater role in planning policy matters will be one of the
items on the agenda."
That, too is very good news.
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