HC Deb 30 March 1979 vol 965 cc433-4W
Mr. Michael Morris

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is now the average time delay in the matter of town planning between the laying of an appeal and the decision; and what it was in each year since 1970.

Mr. Guy Barnett

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 3 August 1978.—[Vol. 955, c. 744.] The periods between receipt and decision taken by planning appeals decided in the quarter ending December 1978 were as follows:

Appeals decided by Secretary of State after local inquiry 51 weeks
Appeals decided by Secretary of State on written representations 38 weeks

Mr. Guy Barnett

The most recent figures available are:

REFUSALS AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL DECISIONS ON PLANNING APPLICATIONS DECIDED BY LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITIES
1974–75 1975–76 1976–77
1. Residential 29.8 23.9 22.8
2. Industrial 14.5 11.9 10.2
3. Offices 19.8 14.6 11.5
4. Other 120 9.7 90

Decisions on applications involving changes of use are not included in the above figures. In 1974–75 30.7 per cent. of all change of use decisions were refusals. In 1975–76 the figure was 26.2 per cent. and in 1976–7 it was 24.3 per cent.