§ Miss Quennellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why his Department could not give Messrs. B. W. Taylor (Developments) Limited a date for the hearing of its appeal against planning refusal on 12⅔ acres at the Ridgeway, Alton, until November 1973, when its appeal was lodged with his Department in August 1972.
§ Mr. Graham PageThe inquiry concerns also an appeal by the same appellants relating to adjoining land which was not made until 31st October 1972. The appellants have declined speedier appeal procedure by written representation instead of public inquiry. Because the appeals received in 1973 are at a rate approximately double the number received in 1971—which was 9,818—public inquiries upon them, when required, cannot be arranged as quickly as in previous years. On being offered a date in November 1973 for this inquiry the appellants have asked for an adjournment to January or February 1974.