THE conclusions of an inquiry into Planning’s handling of the Goose Green scheme are ‘fairly balanced’, Environment Minister Freddie Cohen said this morning.

Senator Cohen said that his department was understaffed at the time vital decisions were made. He said that he agreed with the committee of inquiry’s findings that the Planning department was under-resourced and said that the latest approval in the States Assembly would help matters significantly.

‘The department was under-resourced and I have been making that clear since I started in my role,’ said Senator Cohen. ‘The States cut the budget five years ago and the new Planning Law came into force in 2006. This meant that a smaller team was dealing with much more work.’

He added: ‘This week, the States agreed that the department could raise commercial planning fees. ‘We could make £700,000 by increasing fees in large office blocks, which will make a huge difference, so hopefully we will be able to sort things out now. I think the report is fairly balanced and I am pleased that they recognised that I took a risk in refusing the application for 129 houses.’