§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to require the positioning of telephone boxes and postal collection boxes to have planning permission.
§ Mr. MoynihanThe General Development Order 1988 enables the Post Office, British Telecom and other licensed telecommunications operators to undertake operations without applying for specific planning permission. In some special areas the operator must give notice to the local planning authority, which has a general power to withdraw permitted development rights where there is a real and specific threat to amenity. These arrangements are468W designed to help the operators to fulfil their respective obligations efficiently; they have generally worked satisfactorily for many years, and my right hon. Friend sees no reason to change them.