§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the appeal decisions for each of the last two years where the local planning authority has refused planning permission for a change of use of shop unit into a public house and the inspector has upheld the refusal. [52280]
§ Mr. RaynsfordI have asked the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate, Mr. Chris Shepley, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Chris Shepley to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 29 July 1998:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Question about appeal decisions where the local planning authority has refused planning permission for a change of use of a shop unit into a public house and the Inspector has upheld the refusal.I enclose details of 17 planning appeals which were dismissed in 1996–97, and 38 which were dismissed in 1997–98. I believe this is an exhaustive list. The list includes all cases of a change of use 241W to a public house, not only those from a shop unit. It may also contain some appeals against the failure of the local planning authority to determine the application within the time limit.Should you require copies of the Inspector's decision letters for any appeal, please contact Colin Stevens (Room 1208 at the above address) directly and he will arrange for them to be sent to you. From these you will be able to see whether the Inspector agreed or disagreed with any reasons for refusal by the local authority.