Planning (Hansard, 10 March 1999)

§ Mr. Raynsford

The Government are committed to making the planning system operate more efficiently and effectively. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning set out a range of measures to achieve this in the Modernising Planning Statement he published on 15 January 1998. This included proposals to improve the delivery of local plans and unitary development plans; increase the regional ownership and effectiveness of regional planning guidance; speed up the handling of planning appeals; and improve local planning performance through "Best Value".

The Government have recently published for public consultation a draft revised Planning Policy Guidance note 12 (PPG12) on improving the quality and speed of development plan preparation and a draft PPG11 on more streamlined and inclusive arrangements for regional planning guidance. Good practice guides on development briefs and the one-stop-shop approach to development-related approvals were published in April 1998 and the Department is funding a good practice guide on "Best Value" in planning being drawn up by the Planning Officers' Society. A number of other initiatives are underway, including reviews of consultation procedures for planning applications and of procedures for handling 242W listed building consent applications, and inclusion of streamlining planning decisions for business as a theme for the first year of Beacon Councils in the prospectus issued in February 1999.

The Government issued for consultation last year proposals to improve appeal procedures and are currently considering the outcome. Proposals to streamline the handling of major infrastructure projects are being developed for consultation. The Department sets targets for the handling of planning appeals by the Planning Inspectorate. We have recently published improved, long-term targets so that, by 2001–02, the Inspectorate will be expected to decide 80 per cent. of appeals by written representations within 16 weeks; 80 per cent. of appeals by hearing within 22 weeks; and 80 per cent. of appeals by inquiry within 30 weeks.

The Department is continuing to monitor closely local authorities' performance in reaching decisions on planning applications and publishes regular Planning Performance Checklists. My right hon. Friend is currently holding a series of meetings with a selection of local authorities in each English region to discuss what more might be done to improve handling of planning applications as well as development plan preparation and to share good practice. These meetings are part of our wider commitment to work in partnership with local government to deliver a modernised planning system. We have recently agreed with the Local Government Association a Planning Concordat which sets out our shared objectives as the basis for taking our partnership forward.