§ Mr. David Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, when 295W considering the Countryside Commission's recommendation for the control of National Parks, he will ensure that local authorities with National Parks in their area are represented as of right on park planning boards; and if he will give an assurance that the planning boards administering individual National Parks will operate in association with the planning powers of the new district councils.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe Government have received representations that there should be a statutory right for new district councils within national parks to be represented on national parks boards and committees. Subject to consideration of these representations, it is proposed that two-thirds of the members should be appointed by the new county councils with national parks in their areas.
Planning within national parks will not be a statutory function of the new district councils, but we agree that these councils will need to be associated in a number of ways with the national park boards and committees in the exercise of their functions. In particular, we propose that there should be a statutory requirement on the national park authorities, in dealing with planning applications, to consult the new district council concerned. The general provisions we propose for notifying parish councils of planning applications will also apply in national parks.