HC Deb 11 May 1999 vol 331 c106W
38. Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the time scale for public inquiries into local plans. [82818]

Mr. Raynsford

The time taken for each local plan inquiry will depend on the number of objections made to a plan and the number of objectors who appear in person at the inquiry rather than submitting written representations. Our proposals for improving the arrangements for the preparation and adoption of local plans (set out in the draft revise of PPG12 published on 17 February) should reduce the number of objections which need to be considered, and hence the length of inquiries.