Speeches

Charlotte Leslie – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlotte Leslie on 2014-05-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities take into account the effect of planning decisions on neighbouring authorities when making those decisions.

Nick Boles

The Government’s reforms enshrine the Local Plan as the cornerstone of the planning system. We have confidence that local authorities will show the leadership necessary to work together in order to produce Local Plans that are effective and deliverable on important cross-boundary matters. My Department has also published an on-line set of planning guidance, which includes new advice to local authorities on the Duty to Co-operate across local authority boundaries. Furthermore, adjacent authorities are consulted on planning applications which are likely to affect land in their area, and in making its decision, the determining authority must consider all representations made.