HC Deb 16 January 2002 vol 378 cc345-6W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement in respect of third-party rights of appeal in relation to planning applications. [26937]

Ms Keeble

As indicated in our Planning Green Paper, published on 12 December, a third-party right of appeal against the grant of planning permission could add to the costs and uncertainties of planning, which we could not accept. We believe that the right way forward is to make the planning system more accessible and transparent and to strengthen the opportunities for community involvement throughout this process. Proposals to achieve this were set out in the Green Paper.