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Consideration of Bill: 25th June 2008                  

2786

 

Planning Bill, continued

 
 

(ii)    

the public disclosure of that information would be contrary to

 

the national interest.

 

      (6)  

The Secretary of State may direct that representations of a specified

 

description may be made only to persons of a specified description (instead of

 

being made in public).

 

      (7)  

“Specified” means specified in the direction.

 

      (8)  

The Secretary of State’s powers under sub-paragraphs (2) to (4) are subject

 

to—

 

(a)    

sub-paragraphs (5) to (7), and

 

(b)    

any rules made under paragraph 3.

 

      (9)  

In this paragraph “representation” includes evidence.

 

Rules

 

3    (1)  

The Lord Chancellor or (if sub-paragraph (2) applies) the Secretary of State,

 

after consultation with the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council, may

 

make rules regulating the procedure to be followed in connection with the

 

Secretary of State’s examination of an application under section [Effect of

 

intervention].

 

      (2)  

This sub-paragraph applies if the development to which the application relates

 

(or part of the development) is the construction of an oil or gas cross-country

 

pipe-line—

 

(a)    

one end of which is in England or Wales, and

 

(b)    

the other end of which is in Scotland.

 

      (3)  

Rules under sub-paragraph (1) may make provision for or in connection with

 

authorising the Secretary of State, alone or with others, to enter onto land,

 

including land owned or occupied otherwise than by the applicant, for the

 

purpose of inspecting the land as part of the Secretary of State’s examination.

 

      (4)  

Rules under sub-paragraph (1) may regulate procedure in connection with

 

matters preparatory to the Secretary of State’s examination, and in connection

 

with matters subsequent to the examination, as well as in connection with the

 

conduct of the examination.

 

      (5)  

Power under this paragraph to make rules includes power to make different

 

provision for different purposes.

 

      (6)  

Power under this paragraph to make rules is exercisable by statutory

 

instrument.

 

      (7)  

A statutory instrument containing rules under this paragraph is subject to

 

annulment pursuant to a resolution of either House of Parliament.

 

Appointed representatives

 

4    (1)  

Sub-paragraph (2) applies if the Secretary of State gives a direction under

 

paragraph 2(6) for representations of a specified description to be made only

 

to persons of a specified description (instead of being made in public).

 

      (2)  

The Attorney General or (where the representations are to be made in

 

Scotland) the Advocate General for Scotland may appoint a person (an

 

“appointed representative”) to represent the interests of an interested party

 

who (by virtue of the direction) is prevented from being present when the

 

representations are made.

 

      (3)  

“Interested party” means a person who is an interested party in relation to the

 

application for the purposes of Chapter 4 of Part 6 (see section 95).

 

      (4)  

Rules under paragraph 3 may make provision as to the functions of an

 

appointed representative.


 
 

Consideration of Bill: 25th June 2008                  

2787

 

Planning Bill, continued

 
 

      (5)  

The Secretary of State may direct a person (a “responsible person”) to pay the

 

fees and expenses of an appointed representative, if the Secretary of State

 

thinks that the responsible person is interested in the hearing in relation to any

 

representations that are the subject of the direction under paragraph 2(6).

 

      (6)  

If the Secretary of State gives a direction under sub-paragraph (5) and the

 

appointed representative and the responsible person are unable to agree the

 

amount of the fees and expenses, the amount must be determined by the

 

Secretary of State.

 

      (7)  

The Secretary of State must cause the amount agreed between the appointed

 

representative and the responsible person, or determined by the Secretary of

 

State, to be certified.

 

      (8)  

An amount so certified is recoverable from the responsible person as a civil

 

debt.’.

 


 

New clauses, and amendments to clauses, relating to Chapter 2 of Part 9

 

Power to decline to determine applications: amendments

 

Secretary Hazel Blears

 

NC30

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘Schedule [Power to decline to determine applications: amendments] (power to

 

decline to determine applications: amendments) has effect.’.

 


 

Power to make provision in relation to Wales

 

Secretary Hazel Blears

 

NC31

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Welsh Ministers may by order make provision—

 

(a)    

which has an effect in relation to Wales that corresponds to the effect an

 

England-only provision has in relation to England;

 

(b)    

conferring power on the Welsh Ministers to do anything in relation to

 

Wales that corresponds to anything the Secretary of State has power to

 

do by virtue of an England-only provision.

 

(2)    

The England-only provisions are—

 

section 152 (correction of errors in decisions);

 

section 155 (determination of planning applications by officers);

 

section 156 (determination of applications for certificates of lawful use or

 

development by officers);

 

section 157 (validity of decisions made on reviews);

 

section 158 (determination of listed building applications by officers);

 

section 161 (removal of right to compensation where notice given of

 

withdrawal of planning permission);


 
 

Consideration of Bill: 25th June 2008                  

2788

 

Planning Bill, continued

 
 

section 162 (power to make non-material changes to planning permission);

 

section 166(1) and Schedule 4 (use of land: power to override easements

 

and other rights);

 

section 167 (applications and appeals by statutory undertakers);

 

section 168 and Schedule 5 (determination of procedure for certain

 

proceedings);

 

paragraphs 2(3) and (4) and 3(3) of Schedule [Power to decline to determine

 

applications: amendments].

 

(3)    

Before an England-only provision is brought into force—

 

(a)    

the reference in subsection (1)(a) to the effect an England-only provision

 

has is to be read as a reference to the effect the provision would have, if

 

it were in force;

 

(b)    

the reference in subsection (1)(b) to anything the Secretary of State has

 

power to do by virtue of an England-only provision is to be read as a

 

reference to anything the Secretary of State would have power to do by

 

virtue of the provision, if it were in force.

 

(4)    

The Welsh Ministers may by order make provision for the purpose of reversing

 

the effect of any provision made in exercise of the power conferred by subsection

 

(1).

 

(5)    

The Secretary of State may make an order in consequence of an order under

 

subsection (1) for the purpose of ensuring that an England-only provision

 

continues to have (or will when brought into force have) the effect in relation to

 

England that it would have had if the order under subsection (1) had not been

 

made.

 

(6)    

An order under this section may amend, repeal, revoke or otherwise modify a

 

provision of—

 

(a)    

an Act, or

 

(b)    

an instrument made under an Act.

 

(7)    

The powers of the Welsh Ministers to make orders under this section are

 

exercisable by statutory instrument.

 

(8)    

Those powers include—

 

(a)    

power to make different provision for different purposes (including

 

different areas);

 

(b)    

power to make incidental, consequential, supplementary, transitional or

 

transitory provision or savings.

 

(9)    

No order may be made by the Welsh Ministers under this section unless a draft of

 

the instrument containing the order has been laid before, and approved by

 

resolution of, the National Assembly for Wales.’.

 


 

Wales: transitional provision in relation to blighted land

 

Secretary Hazel Blears

 

NC32

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

During the transitional period the repeal by PCPA 2004 of paragraphs 1 to 4 of

 

Schedule 13 to TCPA 1990 in relation to Wales is subject to subsection (2).

 

(2)    

That repeal does not affect anything which is required or permitted to be done for

 

the purposes of Chapter 2 of Part 6 of TCPA 1990 (interests affected by planning


 
 

Consideration of Bill: 25th June 2008                  

2789

 

Planning Bill, continued

 
 

proposals: blight) in relation to land falling within any of paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and

 

4 of Schedule 13 to TCPA 1990.

 

(3)    

The transitional period is the period during which—

 

(a)    

in the case of land falling within paragraph 1 of Schedule 13 to TCPA

 

1990, a structure plan continues to be or to be comprised in the

 

development plan for an area in Wales by virtue of Part 3 of Schedule 5

 

to the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 and Part 1A of Schedule 2 to

 

TCPA 1990;

 

(b)    

in the case of land falling within paragraph 2 of Schedule 13 to TCPA

 

1990, a local plan continues to be or to be comprised in the development

 

plan for an area in Wales by virtue of Part 3 of Schedule 5 to the Local

 

Government (Wales) Act 1994 and Part 1A of Schedule 2 to TCPA 1990;

 

(c)    

in the case of land falling within paragraphs 3 or 4 of Schedule 13 to

 

TCPA 1990, a unitary development plan continues to form part of the

 

development plan for an area in Wales by virtue of article 3(1) and (2) of

 

the PCPA No.6 Order 2005.

 

(4)    

In this section “PCPA No.6 Order 2005” means the Planning and Compulsory

 

Purchase Act 2004 (Commencement No.6, Transitional Provisions and Savings)

 

Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2847).

 

(5)    

This section is deemed to have come into force on the same day as the repeal of

 

paragraphs 1 to 4 of Schedule 13 to TCPA 1990 came into force in relation to

 

Wales (see Article 2(e) and (g) of the PCPA No.6 Order 2005).’.

 


 

Evidence on applications, appeals and inquiries

 

Mr Richard Benyon

 

NC2

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘After section 323 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 there is inserted—

 

“323A

Evidence on applications, appeals and inquiries

 

(1)    

If an applicant for planning permission or any director, servant, agent or

 

person on the applicant’s behalf, for the purpose of procuring a grant of

 

planning permission—

 

(a)    

knowingly or recklessly makes a statement which is false or

 

misleading in a material particular;

 

(b)    

with intent to deceive, uses any document which is false or

 

misleading in a material particular; or

 

(c)    

with intent to deceive, withholds any material information,

 

    

he shall be guilty of an offence.

 

(2)    

If any person, for the purpose of procuring a particular decision on an

 

appeal, application which it has been directed should be referred to the

 

Secretary of State or on proceedings for the confirmation of an order by

 

the Secretary of State, under this Act—

 

(a)    

knowingly or recklessly makes a statement which is false or

 

misleading in a material particular;

 

(b)    

with intent to deceive, uses any document which is false or

 

misleading in a material particular; or


 
 

Consideration of Bill: 25th June 2008                  

2790

 

Planning Bill, continued

 
 

(c)    

with intent to deceive, withholds any material information,

 

    

he shall be guilty of an offence.

 

(3)    

A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (2) shall be liable—

 

(a)    

on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory

 

maximum; or

 

(b)    

on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not

 

exceeding two years, or a fine, or both.

 

(4)    

Any person giving expert evidence, whether orally or in writing, to an

 

inquiry or hearing held under this Act shall make a declaration that the

 

evidence they give shall be their professional opinion.”’.

 


 

Amendment of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990

 

Andrew Stunell

 

Dan Rogerson

 

Mr Elfyn Llwyd

 

NC3

 

To move the following Clause:—

 

‘(1)    

The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (c. 8) is amended as follows.

 

(2)    

After section 71A insert—

 

“71B  

Telecommunications masts: precautionary principle statement

 

(1)    

Every application for planning permission for telecommunications masts

 

and associated apparatus shall be accompanied by a precautionary

 

principle statement (“the statement”).

 

(2)    

A local planning authority on receipt of an application for planning

 

permission for telecommunications masts and associated apparatus, and

 

on the receipt of a notice of appeal, shall—

 

(a)    

make copies of the statement available for inspection, and

 

(b)    

indicate how representations can be made in respect of the

 

statement,

 

in such manner as may be prescribed by regulations.

 

(3)    

A local planning authority in considering an application for planning

 

permission for telecommunications masts and associated apparatus, or

 

the Secretary of State on an appeal against a determination or non-

 

determination, shall not make a decision until it, or he, has first taken into

 

account the information contained within the statement and any

 

representations received in respect of that information.

 

(4)    

Where the statement indicates that there is a threat of damage to health or

 

the environment, it shall not be a ground for granting planning

 

permission that there is a lack of full scientific certainty about the extent

 

of the threat of damage to health or the environment.


 
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