---

ENVIRONMENT

Holiday Caravan Parks

Sir Robert Hicks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce planning policy guidance notes to encourage the development of the holiday caravan park industry. [10468]

Sir Paul Beresford: PPG21 already provides guidance on the improvement and extension of holiday caravan parks, together with more general guidance about the location and development of tourist accommodation and facilities.

Sir Robert Hicks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment he has made of the extent to which local authorities are (a) extending the season for holiday caravan parks and (b) removing the distinction between touring caravans and tents in response to planning policy guidance 21; [10467]

(2) what assessment he has made of the implementation of PPG21 by local authorities in respect of allowing improvements of, and extensions to, holiday caravan parks. [10466]

Sir Paul Beresford: I am aware of concerns expressed by the British Holiday Homes and Parks Association, put to me in a recent meeting. I am currently considering these.

Sir Robert Hicks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will promote the provision of necessary staff residential accommodation within holiday caravan parks in planning policy guidance. [10469]

Sir Paul Beresford: Development proposals for on-site residential accommodation for site managers are considered within the framework of Government policy as set out in planning policy guidance notes. PPG7--"The Countryside and the Rural Economy"--restricts the provision of new dwellings in the open countryside in order to protect the rural landscapes and the character of

14 Jan 1997 : Column: 191

the countryside but does provide scope for local planning authorities to grant permission for dwellings in exceptional circumstances for rural activities other than agriculture and forestry.

Private Finance Initiative

Mr. Allason: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the transitional funding allocated to future unitary local authorities includes the cost of staff dedicated to supporting and researching PFI projects. [10408]

Sir Paul Beresford: Staff supporting and researching PFI are not unique to future unitary local authorities and all sensible authorities will be giving serious consideration to PFI possibilities. The cost of staff dedicated to supporting and researching PFI projects is treated as an on-going cost and not eligible for transitional funding under the local government reorganisation costs scheme. Through the scheme, resources are made available to meet the one-off indirect costs of reorganisation.

Wild Mushrooms

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the existing law on the picking of wild mushrooms for financial reward. [9116]

Mr. Clappison: Wild mushrooms are not currently shown to be adversely affected by picking. We are therefore content that the current level of legislative protection is adequate.

Road Signs (Corporate Logos)

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the display of commercial corporate logos on road signs. [9117]

Sir Paul Beresford: Whether or not to allow advertising on street signs in their areas is a matter for individual local authorities to decide. For road traffic signs, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has no plans to allow corporate commercial logos.

Waste Water Treatment Directive

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the United Kingdom Government will meet the deadlines set by the EU urban waste water treatment directive for actions to be taken by (a) 1998, (b) 2000 and (c) 2005. [9118]

Mr. Clappison: The article 17 report to the European Commission on the implementation programme for the urban waste water treatment directive prepared in November 1994 gave no reason to think that the deadlines in the directive will not be met. An updated report is to be prepared shortly. The directive provides for the Commission to grant a limited extension of time in certain circumstances, but no application has yet been made by the UK.

Algal Bloom

Mr. Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the areas designated as

14 Jan 1997 : Column: 192

high natural dispersion areas to take account of recent reports of algal bloom problems off the United Kingdom coast. [9119]

Mr. Clappison: The Environment Agency is currently reviewing the areas designated as high natural dispersion areas under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994 (SI 1994 No. 2841) and is expected to make recommendations to the Secretary of State in the summer.

Town and Country Planning

Lady Olga Maitland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve the town and country planning system. [11190]

Mr. Gummer: I am publishing today two consultation papers setting out proposals for changes to existing procedures to make the planning system more efficient and effective. Copies have been placed in the Library. First, I propose to restructure the procedures under which local authorities prepare and adopt district-wide local and unitary development plans including:

the adoption of more statutory time limits;

revised consultation and deposit arrangements;

the replacement of the right for objections to be heard at an inquiry with a right for objections to be considered (initially by written representation);

replacing the inquiry, in whole or in part, with an examination in public process;

reducing the scope for the authority to ignore the Inspector's recommendations; and simplified adoption procedures.

Secondly, with regard to appeals against the refusal of planning permission and call-in by the Secretary of State, I propose:

that the Secretary of State should decide the method by which appeals are determined, instead of the parties;

to streamline the written representations procedure;

to introduce a negotiation/mediation process to resolve disputes;

a new procedure for cases to be called in for a particular aspect of a development to be considered, without having to examine the entire proposal; and

the costs regime to be refined to deter tactical delays.

It is taking too long for local authorities to get district- wide local plans and UDPs in place. Last March, consultation papers were issued on minor improvements to the procedures. These changes are now being implemented. However, I also indicated that I was prepared to consider further changes if these were wanted by users of the system. Discussions were held with a broad range of organisations--representative of developers, conservation groups, local authorities and professional bodies. The consensus was in support of the plan-led system, which is delivering greater certainty for developers and local people. However, most felt that further changes are required to improve efficiency. A report, which summarises the ideas put forward, is also being published today, alongside the consultation paper.

The need for reform of the procedures is underlined by the most recent figures for progress in the adoption of plans. When the preparation of these plans was made mandatory in 1991 it was agreed with the local authorities to adopt a target to achieve "substantially complete"

14 Jan 1997 : Column: 193

coverage by the end of 1996. The monitoring return of the position in September indicates that only 43 per cent. of plans will have achieved the target, although it is anticipated that the bulk of the rest will be completed in the next two years. Figures for the overall position and a list of all local authorities, showing the stage reached in their plan preparation, are being made available today. Copies have been placed in the Library. In some cases there are legitimate reasons why plan preparation has been delayed. However, it is for the individual authorities to explain their position.

Some of the changes proposed in the consultation paper would require primary legislation. In the meantime, I urge local authorities whose plans are not yet in place to give this matter a higher priority. I am also considering whether further measures might be taken to encourage the more rapid adoption of plans. These include the revocation of out of date plans and clarification, in the forthcoming revised planning policy guidance 1, that there are only very limited circumstances in which it is appropriate to refuse planing permission on grounds of prematurity in relation to the emerging plan.

I am also concerned about the time it is taking to deal with appeals against the refusal of planning permission. While a number of improvements have been made to the planning appeals procedures, with 80 per cent. of cases now being dealt with by written representations and a further 12 per cent. by informal hearing, there are a number of other options for change which deserve the fullest consideration. The consultation paper sets out proposals which seek to increase the effectiveness of the system whilst maintaining the balance between the rights of the individual and the wider interests of the community. Meanwhile, more planning inspector--PINS--resources will be made available for handling appeals. At present, PINS aim to provide an inspector for local plans inquiries within 26 weeks in 100 per cent. of cases. However, some local authorities withdraw at a late stage. In future, the PINS target will be 80 per cent. to allow for slippage. This will release experienced staff to handle appeals without inhibiting progress on local plans.

---