§ Mr. BoatengTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment ( I) if he will make a statement about the outcome of the proceedings held at Ealing town hall on 14 October in connection with the appeal against the refusal by the local planning authority to grant planning permission for an access to Norbreck parade, London NW 10, from the north circular road;.
(2) what was the advice given on 14 October by his Department to the inspector in connection with the proceedings at the Ealing town hall relating to the appeal against the refusal of the local planning authority to grant planning permission for an access to Norbreck parade, London NW10, from the north circular road.
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§ Mr. BaldryThis planning appeal is the responsibility of the planning inspectorate. I have asked the inspectorate's chief executive, Mr. Stephen Crow, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from H. S. Crow to Mr. Paul Boateng, dated 27 October 1992:
The Secretary of State for the Environment has asked me to provide the reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions to him, as their subject matter has been delegated to the Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency.You ask what advice was given to the Inspector holding the inquiry on 14 October into the planning appeal relating to access to Norbreck Parade, London NW10, from the North Circular Road, and about the outcome of the proceedings.The Inspector sought advice on a submission, made at the inquiry, that the Secretary of State had no jurisdiction in this matter. He was advised that, by reference to S.79(6) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Secretary of State had the discretionary power to decline to determine this appeal, in view of the fact that the local planning authority had been directed [by the Secretary of State for Transport] to refuse planning permission. The Secretary of State was not however bound to exercise this power and, therefore, it was within the Inspector's discretion to allow the inquiry to continue.However, since the parties wished to consider further both the procedural issue and evidence on the merits of the case, the Inspector agreed to adjourn the inquiry until 20 November next.Following the hearing of the case at the re-convened inquiry, the Inspector will report to the Secretary of State, both on the procedural issue and on the merits of the appeal proposals.