§ Mr. BowisTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call in for public inquiry the planning application for retail and other developments in the royal docks.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI have considered carefully whether or not I should call in this application. The Town and Country Planning (Development Plans) (Urban Development Corporations) (Greater London) Direction 1986 and Town and Country Planning (Shopping Development) (England and Wales) Direction 1986 required that I be consulted before planning permission was granted, not that I should necessarily call it in. I have taken into account the representations that I have received. Newham borough council, in whose area the development lies, has not objected to the proposal; and the proposed scheme is fully in line with the LDDC's development strategy for the Royal docks which I approved in March this year. Bearing in mind also the need to maintain the momentum of regeneration in London docklands, I have decided against call-in.