HC Deb 08 April 1974 vol 872 cc33-4W
Mrs. Chalker

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for planning registers to be made available for inspection by section in each local authority office of the district council to which the section relates, and not only at a district council's planning office, and further to maintain part I registers for separate localities in order to allow full public participation in planning.

Mr. John Silkin

Planning registers are required by statute to be kept by the new district planning authorities at their offices. However, there is provision enabling sections of the register to be kept at convenient places within the district, and district planning authorities have been urged to take advantage of this provision, which can apply to both Parts I and II of the register. Because circumstances will vary from district to district it was not possible to make this a statutory requirement. I accept, however, that easy access to the register is essential if the public are to be adequately informed of planinng proposals and I am sure that the authorities will have this very much in mind in adopting arrangements suited to their areas.