Oral Answers to Questions

Philip Davies Excerpts

Monday 8th July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Foster]

I can assure my hon. Friend that the finest minds in my Department and the Treasury are discussing this very issue at the moment.

[Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con)]

12. What proportion of appeals from housing developers have been upheld by the planning inspector since May 2010.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Nick Boles)]

Since 1 May 2010, there have been 1,712 appeals in England against local authority decisions on major housing schemes in England. In just under 60% of those cases, the local authority decision was upheld by the inspector.

[Philip Davies]

It has been known for me to stand up and criticise the Government occasionally in the Chamber, but I also believe that credit should be given where it is due. At the risk of you thinking that I am going soft in my old age, Mr Speaker, I want to congratulate the Planning Minister and the Secretary of State on their fantastic decision to reject the planning application at Sty lane in Micklethwaite in my constituency, endorsing the decision by Bradford council planning committee and the inspector. It has been greatly welcomed locally and I want to pass on my thanks to the Minister. Does he agree that the best way to stop this community being put in the same position in the future is for the local authority to remove this site from the local development plan?

[Nick Boles]

This is an unfamiliar position, but I simply point out to my hon. Friend that the credit belongs entirely to the Secretary of State, who is not used to being thanked for planning decisions.