Declares that the development plans by Sainsbury’s in Rushey Mead are having a negative impact on the daily lives of the Petitioners’ families.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Department for Communities and Local Government to introduce legislation relating to major retail developments to allow local people to have a say on how the work is carried out and so that potential noise and traffic problems are considered.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Keith Vaz, Official Report, 30 October 2013; Vol. 569, c. 1039 .]
[P001260]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government:
Such legislation is unnecessary. When a developer submits an application for planning permission the local planning authority is required to seek the views of members of the public, whose views will help inform any eventual decision. It is for each local planning authority—democratically elected and representing the local community—to ensure, through the placing of conditions on any subsequent planning permission, that potential noise and traffic problems are kept to a minimum. I would add that councils’ environmental health departments already have legal powers to tackle statutory noise nuisance, and local highways authorities have legal powers in relation to street works on public highways.