§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, since the only method of notifying the public of planning applications which may affect individual interests is by publication in local newspapers, he will examine means of bringing such applications to the attention of blind persons whose interests might be affected.
§ Mr. GoodhartArrangements already exist for notifying persons of planning applications where the development proposed is, in the opinion of the planning authority, likely to adversely affect their amenity. I do not think it would be practicable to notify each blind person individually of all planning applications which might affect them. There are well over 20,000 planning applications annually, and to check each one against an up to date address list of all registered blind persons so that they could be specially notified even if they were only marginally affected would involve substantial additional resources.