§ 4. Mr. Clifford Forsytheasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes he intends to make in planning law.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Nicholas Scott)In response to a recommendation of the Northern Ireland Assembly my right hon. Friend proposes to introduce legislation which would require applicants for planning permission to notify neighbours of their development proposals and would, in addition, make a number of miscellaneous amendments.
§ Mr. ForsytheIs the hon. Gentleman aware of the defects in the legislation which recently allowed an applicant from Doagh road, Ballyclare, effectively to bypass both the local council and the planning department and have his application approved by a planning appeals commissioner? What action does the hon. Gentleman intend to take to ensure that that does not happen again?
§ Mr. ScottI know that my hon. Friend is giving careful consideration to the points raised by the hon. Member for Antrim, South (Mr. Forsythe). I, too, am aware of the circumstances that have given rise to this concern. I am
Constituency | Total No. of postal ballot papers issued | Removals | Physical disability | All other grounds | |||
Number | Percentage of total | Number | Percentage of total | Number | Percentage of total | ||
North Down | 614 | 47 | 7.65 | 515 | 83.88 | 52 | 8.47 |
Strangford | 555 | 46 | 8.28 | 421 | 75.86 | 88 | 15.86 |
South Down | 3,068 | 109 | 3.55 | 2,673 | 87.13 | 286 | 9.32 |
Lagan Valley | 905 | 54 | 5.97 | 766 | 84.64 | 85 | 9.39 |
Upper Bann | 1,458 | 40 | 2.74 | 1,249 | 85.67 | 169 | 11.59 |
Newry and Armagh | 3,145 | 86 | 2.73 | 2,539 | 80.73 | 520 | 16.54 |
Fermanagh and South Tyrone | 7,345 | 136 | 1.85 | 6,290 | 85.64 | 919 | 12.51 |
Mid-Ulster | 5,026 | 94 | 1.87 | 4,534 | 90.21 | 398 | 7.92 |
Foyle | 3,279 | 162 | 4.94 | 2,933 | 89.45 | 184 | 5.61 |
East Londonderry | 3,381 | 78 | 2.31 | 2,912 | 86.13 | 391 | 11.56 |
North Antrim | 1,585 | 32 | 2.02 | 1,393 | 87.89 | 160 | 10.09 |
East Antrim | 589 | 14 | 2.38 | 489 | 83.02 | 86 | 14.60 |
South Antrim | 781 | 46 | 5.88 | 661 | 84.64 | 74 | 9.48 |
Belfast North | 601 | 68 | 11.31 | 488 | 81.20 | 45 | 7.49 |
Belfast East | 567 | 60 | 10.58 | 438 | 77.25 | 69 | 12.17 |
Belfast South | 1,091 | 48 | 4.40 | 935 | 85.70 | 108 | 9.90 |
Belfast West | 712 | 144 | 20.22 | 558 | 7837 | 10 | 1.41 |
Total | 34,702 | 1,264 | 3.64 | 29,794 | 85.86 | 3,644 | 10.50 |
§ advised that, in the absence of a reason for a particular use, further enforcement action could be taken against a developer.
Mr. J. Enoch PowellI acknowledge the improvement in enforcement procedure that was brought about by the previous Minister in the Department of the Environment, but will the Government bear in mind the undesirability of that procedure resulting in planning decisions being taken, in the first instance, by the planning commission?
§ Mr. ScottI take note of the point raised by the right hon. Gentleman and will confer with my hon. Friend.