§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he has issued any guidelines to the urban development corporation in Leeds as to the length of time it should take to process planning applications; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether he will provide information as to the total number of planning applications received by the Leeds urban development corporation; and how many of those have been determined within (a)four weeks, (b)six weeks and (c)eight weeks;
94W(3) whether he has given any guidance to the Leeds urban development corporation in relation to consultation on planning applications; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. TrippierUDCs are required to operate within the same statutory framework as any local planning authority when considering planning applications. This includes requirements to undertake consultations in accordance with article 18 of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988. All the relevant guidance has been provided to the corporations.
All local planning authorities, including UDCs, are expected to provide quarterly returns giving details of the number of planning applications received and the number determined within the statutory eight-week period. These statistics are published by the Department. Figures for the final quarter of 1988 will include the first return from LDC. By 31 December 1988, LDC had received 51 applications, 14 had been determined and of these 12 (86 per cent.) were determined within eight weeks. This is substantially better than the national average.