Planning, Department of

This department consists of the Building Control Unit (reviews applications for building permits and inspects the structural, plumbing and electrical components of buildings and structures), Current Planning section (responsible primarily for processing development applications for presentation to the Central Planning Authority), Policy Development (policy preparation and long-range planning issues such as land-use policies, conducting special studies, making revisions to the Development Plan, processing rezoning applications and preparing proposed amendments to the Development Plan, Planning Law and Regulations) and Petroleum Inspectorate (ensures that sound industry codes of practice are adopted, that safety and environmental management systems are effectively developed and implemented, and plays a vital role in ensuring proper emergency planning and coordination). It falls within the Ministry of Financial Services, Tourism & Development.