§ Mr. HeddleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the reason for the delay between 22 September, when the appellant's agent was notified, and 21 October, when the Lichfield district council was notified, of his inspector's decision to allow a development for retail purposes of the former Chamberlain and Hill site, Beacon street, Lichfield, under section 36 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971;
(2) if he will indicate the reasons for the delay between 16 June when the appellant's agent was notified, and 10 July, when the Lichfield district council was notified, of his inspector's decision in respect of a planning appeal under section 36 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971.
§ Mr. WaldegraveIt is standard practice for copies of inspectors' decision letters on planning appeals to be dispatched to all interested parties simultaneously. There is no evidence on the papers to suggest that the copy letters to the council in these cases were not dispatched along with those to other parties. However, the staff concerned have been reminded of the importance of ensuring that the correct procedure is followed.
§ Mr. HeddleTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why his Department's Tollgate house, Bristol, office has not replied to the letter of 21 October, from the chief executive and secretary of the Lichfield district council regarding receipt of planning appeal decisions under section 36 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, specifically relating to appeals T/APP/K3415/A/87/62807/P4 and AAP/N3400/A/87/59088/59051.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThere is no record of Lichfield district council's letter of 21 October having been received in the Department's Bristol office. The chief executive and secretary wrote again on 25 November and the Department replied on 1 December.