§ The Minister for Local and Regional Government(Mr. Nick Raynsford)The Regional Governance White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice: Revitalising the English Regions published in May 2002 announced that elected regional assemblies would
83WShave the power to request the Secretary of State to call in for his or her determination strategic planning applications which were not consistent with the regional spatial strategy" (paragraph 4.34)The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister proposes to strengthen these arrangements so that they have the same effect as those in London. We propose to give elected assemblies a power to direct local planning authorities to refuse strategic planning applications on similar grounds to those in London. The Mayor of London can exercise this power where he or she considers it would be:
contrary to the SDS [Sustainable Development Scheme] or prejudice its implementation, or otherwise be contrary to good strategic planning in London" (paragraph 6.12 of Government Office for London Circular 1/2000).