§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to introduce legislation to require local authorities to inform residents by letter of any proposals that may be undertaken by an authority, on such matters as increasing speed limits, motorway development, housing redevelopment, etc.
§ Mr. Graham PageNone. There is a variety of statutory requirements and non-statutory arrangements for publicising such proposals. For example, local planning authorities are statutorily required to publicise and to secure public participation in the preparation of structure and local plans. The Department's circular 71/73 recommends wider publicity for planning applications, appeals and other proposals for development. Draft orders for trunk roads and motorways are publicised in the Press and objections invited through the statutory procedures. In addition, such proposals are 399W given wider publicity and households within a band of about 100 meters round the proposed works are notified individually.
In July this year my right hon. and learned Friend announced the introduction of public participation at an early stage in the preparation of trunk road schemes. Declarations of slum clearance orders are advertised and local authorities are advised to give such information about their proposals as they think fit before this stage. Orders altering speed limits are the subject of consultation with the organisations representing road users and they must be advertised in local newspapers with a period of 28 days for objections. Street notices are exhibited throughout the objection period.
Where any public proposals involve the compulsory acquisition of land the promoting authority is required to serve notice on the individual owners affected.