§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will facilitate the adoption of local plans in those areas where they depart from an approved structure plan but where the departure has the approval of the strategic authority;
(2) whether he will consider introducing the practice whereby structure plans are subject to an annual review and updated;
(3) if he intends to speed up the coverage of the nation by local and structure plans; and when he expects coverage to be completed;
(4) if he will consider facilitating the adoption of local plans in advance of approval of a structure plan by extending to all local authorities the greater flexibility afforded to local authorities covered by the Inner Urban Areas Act;
(5) whether he will ask the relevant local authorities to produce their structure plans by a particular date;
(6) if he is satisfied with the position whereby a structure plan need not include reference to the other local authority investment plans.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that sufficient public participation is provided for whenever a structure plan needs to be revised.
§ Mr. FoxBefore considering whether to approve proposals for alterations to a structure plan, my right hon. Friend is required by statute to be satisfied that public participation has been adequate.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he plans to renew the relationship between the statutory planning system and the implementation of the developments proposed in statutory plans.
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§ Mr. FoxMy right hon. Friend has no plans at present for changing the statutory requirement that the local planning authority shall have regard to the development plan for the area when considering an application for planning permission.
§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local and structure plans have been completed; and how many there will be once coverage is completed.
§ Mr. FoxA total of 25 structure plans for areas in England have been approved and a further 30 have been submitted and are under consideration. Seventeen more would give total coverage and the total would be 72. These figures include the Greater London development plan but exclude those providing supplementary detail in certain urban areas and proposals for the alteration of approved plans.
Local plans may normally be adopted by local planning authorities without reference to my right hon. Friend. Seventeen have been adopted in England and local planning authorities have indicated that about 1,600 are needed.