section 2(7), which amends the power of the Secretary of State under Schedule 6 to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (c. 8) (“the 1990 Act”) to appoint persons to determine planning appeals and matters connected with planning appeals. This is the power under which Inspectors are appointed. The effect of this amendment is that connected matters, such as costs, can be dealt with directly by the Secretary of State rather than by an Inspector;

section 3, which broadens the Secretary of State’s power to award costs between the parties at compulsory purchase order inquires;

section 6, which inserts a new provision into section 62 of the 1990 Act which requires local planning authorities to have regard to a new test when requiring information in respect of an application for planning permission;

section 10 and Schedule 3, which change the current regime of periodic reviews of mineral planning permissions under Schedule 14 to the Environment Act 1995 (c. 25) to give mineral planning authorities in England greater local discretion as to whether to cause a review to be carried out and to set a review date; and

section 25(1) to (6) and (10) so far as it is not already in force and section 25(7) to (9), which modify the Statutory Orders (Special Procedure) Act 1945 (c. 18) to ensure that certain orders which are subject to special parliamentary procedure because they authorise compulsory acquisition of land falling into a special category will be subject to this procedure only to the extent that they authorise acquisition of that type of land.

section 13, which makes provision about statements and maps deposited and declarations lodged under section 31(6) of the Highways Act 1980 (c. 66) in order to negative an intention to dedicate way as highway; and

section 15, which inserts new sections 15A and B into the Commons Act 2006 (c. 26) (“the 2006 Act”) to provide for a landowner in England to deposit a statement and map for the purpose of bringing to an end any recreational use as of right on the land to which the statement relates.

section 20 in relation to England and Wales, so far as not already in force, enabling applications to vary consents in respect of electricity generating stations which have been granted under section 36 of the 1989 Act to be made from that date; and

section 21(1) to (3), which amends the provision made in section 90 of the 1990 Act about directions that planning permission be deemed to be granted that may be given by the Secretary of State when a consent under section 36 of the 1989 Act (or a consent under section 37 of the 1989 Act in respect of an overhead electric line) is granted and makes further provision about such directions where such consents are varied.