Planning is a quasi-judicial process; it is a long-standing feature of the planning system that there is a right of appeal, just as there are with other local quasi-judicial decisions such as on licensing applications, gambling applications or parking fines.<\/p>
<\/p>
Planning appeals are decided by independent planning inspectors on behalf of the Secretary of State, or in a small number of cases by the Secretary of State himself. Interested parties have a statutory right to make representations on planning appeals, and these representations are required to be taken into account by the decision maker. This allows proper democratic oversight of the appeals process.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Localism Act 2011 has strengthened the role of Local Plans and abolished the last Administration\u2019s top-down Regional Strategies. Our streamlined National Planning Policy Framework strongly encourages areas to get up-to-date Local Plans in place, and we have been actively supporting councils in doing so. Local Plans now set the framework in which decisions on particular applications are taken, whether locally or at appeal, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.<\/p>
<\/p>
Once made a neighbourhood plan will also become part of the area\u2019s statutory development plan \u2014 an example of this Government\u2019s localist agenda. Both Local and Neighbourhood Plans are founded on thorough community involvement and are subject to independent examination and consultation. Over 1,200 communities have applied for a neighbourhood planning area to be designated, with over 1,000 areas now designated.<\/p>
<\/p>
Planning inspectors will take full account of all the evidence that is before them, including representations made by local residents and other interested parties. Each representation should be considered on their merits, paying careful regard to the relevant policy and material planning considerations.<\/p>
<\/p>
Since the National Planning Policy Framework was introduced, the number of appeals received has fallen as has the number allowed. The quality of local decisions also remains high\u201499% of decisions are made locally with only approximately 1% of planning applications overturned on appeal. Housing starts and housing construction are also up, as are permissions for new homes. This means there is more local decision-making, and our reforms are supporting badly-needed new homes within a locally-led planning system.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4009", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Yarmouth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Brandon Lewis"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-20T16:08:14.4302812Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Planning Permission: Appeals"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of democratic oversight of local planning decisions when appealed; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"} ], "uin" : "210798"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93480", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93480/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Ministers within the Department for Communities and Local Government regularly meet colleagues from other Departments to discuss a range of matters.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4009", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Brandon Lewis"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Great Yarmouth"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Brandon Lewis"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-20T16:03:45.0704932Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fast Food: Planning Permission"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on using planning applications for further public health objectives by control of the location of fast food outlets.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"} ], "uin" : "210799"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93484", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93484/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Figures for parts of the UK outside England are a matter for the relevant devolved administration.<\/p>
In the year to June 2014, English local planning authorities gave permission for 230,000 new homes.<\/p>
The Department does not collect figures for the numbers of homes given planning permission at local authority level. It does, however, collect figures on the numbers of residential planning applications decided and granted by each local planning authority. They are published in the Department's live tables P136 (annual) and P135 (quarterly), which are available at the following link:<\/p>