§ Mr. Pikeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations his Department has received with regard to local authorities' planning controls over notifiable installations and related compensation issues; and whether, in the light of such representations, 129W he is prepared to have further consultation with the local authority organisations with a view to making improvments in the procedures.
§ Sir George YoungOver the last few months, we have received a number of representations that the Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) Order 1983 and the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) Order 1983 do not go far enough in strengthening planning controls over hazardous development, and may prove ineffective because of their compensation implications. During the debate in the Sixth Standing Committee on Statutory Instruments on 8 February last the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Macfarlane), said that the orders go as far as is possible within the existing law, and that we are now examining the case for amending legislation. He also made it clear that, while we believe that the circumstances in which compensation is payable will arise very rarely in practice, we will consider carefully the merits of any case where this is creating difficulties. If we conclude that legislation is needed we shall be consulting the local authority associations and others concerned on our proposals in due course. In the meantime, we have already had further consultations with them on procedures for the handling of planning applications relating to hazardous development, and a revised circular giving advice on his subject has now been issued to local authorities.