Lieut.-Colonel Dowerasked the Minister of Town and Country Planning if he is aware that the delays occurring in the preparation and approval of town planning schemes are causing land to remain derelict and creating uncertainty and indecision harmful to the urgent task of reconstruction; and what steps he is taking to put an end to these delays.
§ Mr. SilkinNo, Sir. Although it must be some time before local authorities, who have been seriously handicapped by lack of staff, can complete their planning schemes, it is open to any person desiring to carry out development to make application to the interim development authority for permission to do so; and, if the authority postpones consideration of the application under Section 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Interim Development) Act, 1943, it is open to the applicant to appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction or to me against the decision to postpone.