Bosham architect '˜fell seriously short of standards of integrity'

Colin Moors admitted preparing and submitting a bat survey in favour of a planning application from his own company, without declaring he was owner of Architectural Homes in Bosham.

Mr Moors was subject to a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) disciplinary hearing on February 12.

He admitted a charge that he ‘had no prior experience of, or training in the preparation of bat survey reports or specialist ecological surveys and in doing so failed to carry out your professional work with due diligence and with proper regard for the technical standards expected’.

His case referred to a bat survey report for a property at Pine Ridge, Liphook on January 21, 2016, where he ‘failed to avoid an actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest and/or act with integrity’, Mr Moors admitted, a RICS regulation report states.

It found: “The panel was of the view that Mr Moors had not been open and transparent in submitting the bat survey.

“Mr Moors did stand to gain in terms of the progression of the building project by submission of his survey and ultimately this was likely to be to his financial benefit.

“In preparing the report with no previous experience or training, he had exceeded his area of competence.

“The panel considered that these actions fell seriously short of the standards of integrity expects of its members.

“The conduct brought the profession into disrepute.”

The report said Mr Moors stated he was a member of RICS for 17 years with no previous disciplinary history.

“He stated he values his membership of RICS and apologises for his actions in this case,” the report said.

He ‘accepted he mishandled this matter’ and ‘had no intention to profit, only to get the project moving’, it added.

RICSs has fined Mr Moors £600 and reprimanded him.