HC Deb 05 February 1997 vol 289 c616W
Mr. Jon Owen Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has set in respect of the time scale within which planning appeals submitted to him should be resolved. [14005]

Mr. Gwilym Jones

The planning inspectorate has been set the following targets for dealing with planning appeals:

  • Eighty per cent. of all planning appeals decided by written representations to be determined within 17 weeks;
  • Eighty per cent. of all planning appeals decided by hearings to be determined within 22 weeks;
  • Eighty per cent. of all planning appeals decided by inquiries to be determined within 30 weeks.

In addition, the inspectorate has the following internal targets for determining enforcement appeals:

  • Eighty per cent. of enforcement appeals decided by written representations to be determined within 35 weeks;
  • Eighty per cent. of enforcement appeals decided by inquiries to be determined within 46 weeks.

In cases where appeals are decided by the Secretary of State, the aim is to decide 80 per cent. within eight weeks of receiving the inspector's report.