HC Deb 19 April 2004 vol 420 c361W
Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out the procedures of the appeals process for applications for mobile telephone transmitting masts. [165559]

Keith Hill

Section 78 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 sets out an applicant's right to appeal against planning decisions made by a local planning authority (including those for mobile telephone transmitting masts) and the failure of the local planning authority to take such decisions. There are three methods of appeal—written representation, hearing, and inquiry—and the procedures to be followed are contained with DETR Circular 05/2000. The time limit for making an appeal is three months for those applications registered by the local planning authority on or after 5 September 2003, and six months for those registered prior to that date.

Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many applications for telephone masts he has(a) rejected and (b) approved during the last 12 months. [165560]

Keith Hill

The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Therefore, the following information relates to appeal decisions about telecommunications development generally.

1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004
Received 608
Withdrawn 31
Allowed 211
Dismissed 163
Total decided 374
In hand 203
Note:
All figures relate to the period in which the appeal was received, not necessarily the period in which it was decided.