§ Sir L. Lyleasked the Paymaster-General what local government bodies are entrusted with the preservation of the amenities of the Thames above Richmond; whether he possesses or is exercising the right of supercontrol; and whether any information on riverside planning is specially brought to his notice?
§ Mr. H. StraussI have been asked to reply. The Thames above Richmond is within the area of 11 Joint Planning Committees, which have prepared, or are preparing, schemes under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1932, with the object,inter alia, of preserving amenities. Such schemes require the approval of my Noble Friend, and, until they come into operation, applications for permission to develop land are dealt with by county borough and county district councils, which have power to grant them, either 76W unconditionally or subject to conditions, or to refuse them. The applicant has a right of appeal to my Noble Friend against a refusal to permit development, or against conditions subject to which approval is granted. Except in these cases, my Noble Friend has no jurisdiction. As regards advertisements and petroleum filling stations, there are, in addition to the powers under the Town and Country Planning Act, powers to make by-laws conferred on Local Authorities by the Advertisements Regulation Acts, 1907 and 1925, and the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act, 1928, respectively. The Port of London Authority and the Thames Conservancy also have powers to make bylaws relating to the amenity of the Thames within their respective areas of control. My Noble Friend has recently appointed Planning Officers with headquarters at convenient centres, whose duty it is to keep him informed of the problems of the authorities in their areas.