§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the Government do not hold central records of planning permissions granted for major out-of-town retail developments. [28635]
§ Mr. RaynsfordMost decisions on planning applications for major out-of-town retail developments are taken by local planning authorities. They provide statistical returns of all major "retail, distribution and servicing" applications which they handle, in order to provide an overall picture of planning activity. These data do not classify applications by location. The Government are anxious to keep their requirements for data from local authorities to a necessary minimum. We do, however, propose to set up a system with the Planning Inspectorate, which should enable us to provide information on such permissions granted on appeal or following call in by the Secretary of State for recent and future development.
§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many planning permissions were granted on appeal or following call-in by the Secretary of State for major out-of-town retail developments(a) between January 1988 and April 1997 and (b) since 1 May 1997. [29210]
§ Mr. Raynsford[holding answer 12 February 1998]: The information requested is not held on this basis. The results of appeals are not classified by size or by location. It is, therefore, not feasible at the moment to assemble such information, except at disproportionate cost. We propose to set up a system with the Planning Inspectorate, which should enable us to provide this information for recent and all future developments.
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