Housing and Planning Act 1986

4 After paragraph 10 insert—

“Short procedure for certain alterations

10A (1) Where a local planning authority propose to alter or replace a unitary development plan and it appears to them that the issues involved are not of sufficient importance to warrant the full procedure set out in paragraph 3(1) and (2), they may instead proceed as follows.

(2) They shall prepare the relevant documents, that is, the proposed alterations or replacement plan, and shall make a copy of them available for inspection at their office and at such other places as may be prescribed and send a copy to the Secretary of State.

(3) Each copy of the documents made available for inspection shall be accompanied by a statement of the time within which representations or objections may be made.

(4) They shall then take such steps as may be prescribed for the purpose of—

(a) advertising the fact that the documents are available for inspection, and the places and times at which and period during which they may be inspected, and

(b) inviting the making of representations or objections in accordance with regulations;

and they shall consider any representations made to them within the prescribed period.

(5) The documents sent by the local planning authority to the Secretary of State under sub-paragraph (2) above shall be accompanied by a statement of the steps which the authority are taking to comply with sub-paragraph (4) above.

(6) If, on considering the statement submitted with and the matters contained in the documents sent to him under sub-paragraph (2) above and any other information provided by the local planning authority, the Secretary of State is not satisfied with the steps taken by the authority he may, within twenty-one days of the receipt of the statement, direct the authority not to take further steps for the adoption of their proposals without—

(a) proceeding in accordance with paragraph 3(1) and (2) above, or

(b) taking such further action as he may specify,

and satisfying him that they have done so.

(7) A local planning authority who are given directions by the Secretary of State under sub-paragraph (6) above shall—

(a) forthwith withdraw the copies of documents made available for inspection as required by sub-paragraph (2) above ; and

(b) notify any person by whom objections to the proposals have been made to the authority that Secretary of State has given such directions as aforesaid.

(8) Where a local planning authority proceed in accordance with this paragraph, the references in paragraphs 4(2)(a) and (4) and 7(1) to copies made available or sent to the Secretary of State under paragraph 3(2) shall be construed as references to copies made available or sent to the Secretary of State under sub-paragraph (2) of this paragraph.”.