HC Deb 19 July 1977 vol 935 cc492-3W
Mr. Anthony Grant

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of the number of planning appeals in the last three years considered by his Department, the number allowed and rejected, the number which were the subject of a public inquiry, the number of planning applications called in by his Department and the average length of time taken in reaching a decision in each case.

Mr. Guy Barnett

The information requested concerning planning appeals

1974 1975 1976
Number received 13,324 11,690 11,656
Number allowed 2,715 2,920 2,717
Number dismissed 9,483 8,566 6,536
Number where a local inquiry was held 2,716 3.078 2,854
Average length of time to reach a decision:
Decision by Secretary of State after a local inquiry 80 weeks 73 weeks 55 weeks
Decision by Secretary of State after written representations 56 weeks 55 weeks 45 weeks
Decision by Inspector after a local inquiry 65 weeks 50 weeks 30 weeks
Decision by Inspector after written representations 38 weeks 34 weeks 24 weeks

The numbers of planning applications called in during 1974, 1975 and 1976 were 120, 85 and 80, respectively.

Information about the average length of time taken to reach a decision on called-in planning applications is not available.