§ 21. Mr. Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average time taken by (a) local planning authorities to determine applications and (b) his Department to determine planning appeals.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe proportion of planning applications decided by local authorities within eight weeks has risen from 60 per cent. in early 1980 to 72 per cent. at the end of 1982. This is a significant and welcome achievement.
The median time for deciding all planning appeals was 19 weeks in 1982, compared with 20 weeks in 1981 and 27 weeks in 1980. For inspectors' written representations cases—three quarters of all appeals—the median time was 17 weeks in 1982 compared with 18 weeks in 1981 and 26 weeks in 1980.
§ 35. Mr. Lyellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning authorities are still determining less than 50 per cent. of their planning applications in the statutory eight-week period.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneIn the last quarter of 1982, 24 authorities decided fewer than 50 per cent. of their planning applications within eight weeks compared with 43 authorities in the first quarter of that year.