HC Deb 24 January 2000 vol 343 c140W
Mr. Wyatt

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his plans for a public inquiry in respect of the proposed incinerator at Allington. [106406]

Ms Beverley Hughes

My right hon. Friend decided on 21 December 1999, after very careful consideration, not to call in the planning application for the Allington incinerator for his own decision, but to leave the decision to be taken by the planning authority. The Government's policy on call-ins is to be very selective. It is right that in almost all cases the decision on whether a development should proceed should be taken by the local planning authority.

Therefore, planning applications are in general only called in if planning issues of much more than local importance are involved, and if those issues need to be decided by the Secretary of State rather than at local level. We have given as examples of cases where the Secretary of State might consider call-in appropriate those which may conflict with national policy on important matters; those which could have significant effects beyond their immediate locality; those which give rise to substantial regional or national controversy; those which raise significant architectural and urban design issues; and those where the interests of national security or a foreign government may be involved, 16 June 1999, Official Report, column 138W.