Any Other Urgent Business
Which cannot otherwise be dealt with.
Minutes:
Government Proposals with regard to Procedure for Public Hearings
The Chairman informed the Committee of the response from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to her letter of 23 September 2008 regarding proposals for the Planning Inspectorate to apply published criteria as to the procedure to be followed for appeal hearings.
The Committee noted that whilst the appellant and the Council could be in agreement as to the preferred type of hearing (that is, written representations, informal public hearing or full public local enquiry), the Planning Inspectorate could impose an alternative method if the Bill as drafted became law.
The Committee was of the view that the proposals would curtail the ability of the Local Planning Authority to obtain an informal hearing. Local awareness of those applications of great concern to local residents and where there was a significant amount of public interest, made the LPA the most appropriate body to determine the form of hearing rather than an Inspector without local knowledge.
Members considered that the process in Scotland to award costs on all classes of appeal should be extended to England and Wales to prevent unwarranted appeals by written representations.
RESOLVED: That the Chairman be requested to write further to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to convey the continued concerns of the Committee on the proposals, with a copy being sent to the Mayor of London, Vice-Chairman and Nominated Member of the Committee.