First Road Test For Special Measures

Less than a year after the introduction of the government's 'special measures' regime for poorly performing local planning authorities via the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013, the secretary of state has determined the first planning application submitted directly to him.

This process bypassed the proposal being decided at local level by Blaby District Council.

Section 62A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, which came into force on 1 October 2013, enables applicants to apply directly to the secretary of state to determine applications for major development where the local planning authority for the area has been designated as being in special measures. The procedure demonstrates the tensions between the government's localism policy and its efforts to put in place mechanisms aimed at speeding up the delivery of housing.