§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to require planning permission to be sought for the erection of telecommunications masts less than 15 metres high; and if she will make a statement. [9016]
§ Ms Keeble[holding answer 18 October 2001]: I have been asked to reply.
176WWe have no plans to require planning permission to be sought for the erection of telecommunications masts less than 15 metres high. Such masts do, however, require approval by local planning authorities under a simplified planning procedure known as prior approval.
We have significantly improved the planning procedures and guidance for telecommunications mast development in order to:
strengthen public consultation requirements on mast proposals of 15 metres and below so that they are the same as for planning applications;increase the time for an authority to deal with prior approval applications to 56 days;underline that school governors must be consulted on all proposals for new masts on or near a school or college; andincrease fees to enable authorities to carry out full public consultation.These changes came into force on 22 August this year.