§ 6. Mr. Powellasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied that there is adequate use of public inquiry in connection with departmental decisions on planning applications involving the general public interest in a neighbourhood.
§ Mr. PowellIs the hon. Gentleman aware that it will be greatly advantageous if he errs in the direction of holding more rather than fewer public inquiries, whether they are on large schemes such as the Kinnahalla dam or smaller planning matters such as caravan sites, since this method brings public opinion into play and gives all the impression that they have been consulted?
§ Mr. CarterI could not necessarily accept everything that the right hon. Gentleman has said. It is normally the case that we would try to resolve disputes about planning applications without resorting to the lengthy and costly business of a public inquiry. But it certainly is our intention to consult, and in the last case that the right hon. Gentleman mentioned—the caravan site in his constituency—we consulted, just about everyone, including the local authority, before coming to a decision.