HC Deb 11 May 1984 vol 59 c493W
Mr. Soames

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has not called in for public inquiry the West Sussex county council application to develop the Hazelwick school site in Crawley.

Mr. Macfarlane

As I informed my hon. Friend in my letter of 3 May, my normal policy is not to intervene in planning decisions unless issues of national or regional significance are involved. The proposal by the county council for a superstore, although giving rise to local concern, does not in my opinion raise such issues. I therefore decided that it was not appropriate for my right hon. Friend to intervene by requiring the county council to make application to him.