§ 49. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is the average time taken to build a house; what is the average time now taken to obtain planning consent; and if he will gear the speed of his planning machinery to the speed of building production.
§ Mr. CrossmanAt the end of 1965, the average construction time for private houses and flats in England and Wales was 11.5 months.
A sample taken in 1965 showed that over most of the country planning authorities were dealing with well over 80 per cent. of all applications for planning permission within the statutory time limit of two (or, in some cases, three) months.
I am discussing with the local authority associations arrangements for a management study of development control in a sample of local authorities.