Penfold Associates

In 2010 and 2011 Kim and Sandy Penfold have each had contracts to provide planning services to the Government of Barbados. Reporting to the Chief Town Planner, they have been drafting reports and appearing at hearings on “called-in” applications and appeals. These are both decided by the Minister (actually the Prime Minister) and the applicant can request a hearing before a person appointed by the PM who then reports on the case. Hearings are more informal than UK public inquiries but are not open to third parties. Called-in applications include any proposal for the development or sub-division of 2 acres or more of agricultural land and any proposal that touches the coast. In a small island with a crucially important tourism industry and pressing housing needs these are potentially contentious applications. The range of cases has been from small adjustments to coastal defences for a single house up to 100 acre plus residential proposals and have included schemes in a conservation area and a National Park, hotel and other commercial developments.