HC Deb 25 July 2000 vol 354 c593W
Angela Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his policy on recovering planning appeals in England. [132884]

Mr. Raynsford

Most planning appeals are transferred to the Planning Inspectorate for Inspectors to decide on behalf of the Secretary of State. Typically between 100 and 150 appeals have been recovered by the Secretary of State for his own determination, out of around 13,000 planning appeals each year. My right hon. Friend's policy for recovering cases is set out in the following guidelines:

  1. 1. Residential development of five or more hectares or of 150 or more dwellings regardless of size of site.
  2. 2. Proposals for development of major importance having more than local significance.
  3. 3. Proposals giving rise to significant public controversy.
  4. 4. Proposals which raise important or novel issues of development control.
  5. 5. Retail or leisure development over 9,000 sq m.
  6. 6. Proposals for significant development in the Green Belt.
  7. 7. Major proposals involving the winning and working of minerals.
  8. 8. Proposals which raise legal difficulties.
  9. 9. Proposals against which another Government Department has raised major objections.
  10. 10. Cases which can only be decided in conjunction with a case over which Inspectors have no jurisdiction (so-called "linked" cases).
  11. 11. There may on occasion be other cases which merit recovery because of the particular circumstances.

These criteria replace the previous guidelines for recovering appeals set out in the 1986 White Paper "Planning: Appeals, Call-In and Major Public Inquiries" (Command 43).