HC Deb 19 May 1976 vol 911 cc545-6W
Mr. Rippon

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware that substantial delays are being experienced in the submission of structure plans; and when he expects all local and structure plans will have been approved.

Mr. John Silkin

The general commencement order enabling all county planning authorities to prepare structure plans came into operation on 1st August 1974, after the reorganisation of local government. In almost all cases, we expect the structure plans to have been submitted by the target date of 1st April 1978. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will approve structure plans as soon as practicable after submission.

Development plan schemes prepared by county planning authorities in consultation with district planning authorities set out a programme for the preparation of local plans. It is expected that work on the most important will be sufficiently far forward for the process leading to adoption to begin as soon as the structure plan for the area has been approved.

Mr. Rippon

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have so far produced draft local plans.

Mr. John Silkin

23 development plan schemes had been adopted by county councils at the end of March 1976 covering 191 planning authorities. They allocated responsibility for 1,700 local plans, and it is estimated that work has started on perhaps 40 per cent. of these. Information on the number of draft local plans that have actually been produced is not available.