Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will (a) publish proposals for the use of special development order powers under Section 59 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to grant planning permission for commercial schemes and (b) consult on those proposals before they are implemented.

Special Development Orders are a long-established part of the planning system. Each case is considered on its individual merits. The government have no plans to change the current arrangements.