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15 Mar 2006 : Column 2374W—continued
Landfill sites
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of the suitability of former landfill sites pre-dating the Control of Pollution Act 1974 for built development, with particular reference to new schools. [58000]
Yvette Cooper: Government policy is to bring brownfield land back into beneficial use where appropriate. When new development is proposed local planning authorities have specific responsibilities. These are set out in Planning Policy Statement 23 Planning and Pollution Control" and its Annex Development on Land Affected by Contamination". They are expected to pay particular attention to development proposals for sites where there is reason to suspect contamination, such as from former landfill, and where particularly sensitive uses are proposed, including those involving children. When determining planning applications, local planning authorities should be satisfied that the site concerned is suitable for the new use and that the development does not create unacceptable risks. If a local planning authority is not satisfied on the basis of the information provided by the applicant, and available from other sources, including the responses of those consulted, planning permission should be refused.
Newcastle/Gateshead Pathfinder
Jim Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the agreed Strategic Commission for the Newcastle/Gateshead Pathfinder project; what the allocated programme of expenditure was for the Pathfinder in Newcastle/Gateshead in each Strategic Commission in each year since 2004–05; and what funding is proposed for (a) 2006–07 and (b) the next three years. [58683]
Yvette Cooper: The future programme and strategic commissions for the Newcastle Gateshead housing market renewal pathfinder have not yet been agreed. I will write to my hon. Friend when an announcement is made.
The total housing market renewal funding for the pathfinder in 2004–05 and 2005–06 to date has been £47,641,250. It is not possible to break this down by strategic commission area as previous funding has not been allocated by the pathfinder on this basis. However, the breakdown by area development framework is shown in the following table, with the near equivalent strategic commission areas shown in brackets.
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Planning Appeals
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what (a) instructions, (b) advice and (c) guidance his Department has issued to the Planning Inspectorate in the last 12 months with regard to speeding up planning appeal considerations. [56105]
Yvette Cooper: The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) was established as an Executive Agency of the Department of the Environment in April 1992. The chief executive is responsible for the effective management of the inspectorate in accordance with the framework document (which is currently under review) and in accordance with the normal civil service rules on propriety and securing value for money.
The Planning Inspectorate is actively managing improvements to its own performance in arranging hearing and inquiry dates in the face of a continuing high level and variety of casework which places conflicting demands on the available inspector resource.
Over the period 2001–02 to 2004–05, there was an increase of 37 per cent. in the number of planning appeals received. A particular feature of the increased work has been the bulge in appeal receipts that arose between November 2003 and May 2004. As a result of the increase in appeal receipts, a backlog developed. The Planning Inspectorate was tasked by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister with clearing the backlog of cases which has been achieved by policy, procedural and other changes.
As part of the Government's response to Kate Barker's Review of Housing Supply the Planning Inspectorate have adopted a target for planning appeals for proposals for 10 or more dwellings to open a hearing or inquiry within 20 weeks of the start date of the case and, in 80 per cent. of the cases, to issue a decision within 10 weeks of the close of the hearing or inquiry.
Regeneration
Vera Baird: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to encourage the regeneration of small town centres in the North East. [57917]
Yvette Cooper [holding answer 13 March 2006]: Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) deliver regeneration initiatives on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The North East's RDA, One NorthEast, has responsibility for delivering physical regeneration and development policies and strategies throughout the region.
The Agency works closely with four Sub Regional Partnerships (Tees Valley Partnership, County Durham Strategic Partnership, Tynewear Partnership and Northumberland Strategic Partnership) to deliver a broad range of physical regeneration projects. These projects are aimed at improving the physical
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environment, transport and communication links and at increasing the availability of high quality business premises and development sites throughout the region.
All the Sub Regional Partnerships have drawn together their own strategic vision for their areas within the context of the Regional Economic Strategy. They have mapped out action plans and investment programmes for spending the 'single pot' funds delegated to them by One NorthEast from its own budget. Their programmes include other funding available from European and National public sources.
Regional Spatial Strategies
Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what mechanisms the Government has established to ensure that cross-border issues are taken into account by regional assemblies when considering regional spatial strategies; and if he will make it obligatory for each regional spatial strategy to address cross-border issues. [57363]
Yvette Cooper: Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, when preparing a regional spatial strategy (RSS) regional planning bodies (RPBs) must have regard to the RSS for each adjoining area. Supporting regulations require RPBs to seek advice from any RPB; local planning authority; county council; parish council; and Regional Development Agency, where any part of their area is in or adjoins the RPB's region. The Countryside Agency; the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England; English Nature; and the Environment Agency, must also be consulted alongside any other body as the RPB considers appropriate.
How policy matters have been taken into account in the draft RSS (including those that cross boundaries) will be addressed at an Examination in Public.
Sleeping Rough
Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what definition his Department uses of sleeping rough. [55774]
Yvette Cooper: The definition of sleeping rough used by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is: people sleeping, or bedded down, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters); people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations, or bashes").
Town and Country Planning Act
Mr. Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the operation of section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. [54307]
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Yvette Cooper: Section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides a right to appeal against planning decisions and failure to take such decisions. The right of appeal against refusal of a planning permission is a long-established part of our democratic system. When comprehensive planning controls were first introduced in 1947, Parliament decided that developers should have a right to appeal to the Secretary of State against a decision, or failure to decide an application, which prevented them from developing their land and property as they wished. This right has been carried forward into subsequent legislation and has remained an integral part of the planning system.
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