§ Lord Lyellasked Her Majesty's Government:
If the Secretary of State for the Environment intends to take design considerations into account when deciding whether or not to call in planning applications to be decided under Section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Viscount Ullswater)Our general approach is not to interfere with the jurisdiction of local planning authorities unless it is necessary to do so. The Secretary of State for the Environment will therefore be very selective about calling applications to determine and will, in general, only take this step if planning issues of more than local importance are involved. Each case must be considered on its individual merits. An application for development which raises significant architectural and urban design issues is one example of the type of case which may be of more than local importance. Other examples include cases which, in the opinion of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, could have wide effects beyond their immediate locality, which give rise to substantial regional or national controversy which may conflict with national policy on important matters, and those where the interests of foreign governments may be involved.