Part 1 E+W The Homes and Communities Agency

Chapter 2 E+W Land and infrastructure

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 1 Chs. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (23.12.2016) by The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1267), arts. 1(2), 8(5)(6), Sch. 2

C2 Pt. 1 Chs. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (9.2.2017) by The West of England Combined Authority Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/126), arts. 1(3), 21(5), Sch. 4

C3 Pt. 1 Ch. 2 applied (with modifications) (17.3.2017) by The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/430), arts. 1(2), 9(3), Sch. 3 Pt. 1

C4 Pt. 1 Chs. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (8.5.2017) by The West Midlands Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/510), arts. 1(2), 11(2), Sch. 3

C5 Pt. 1 Ch. 2 applied (with modifications) (2.11.2018) by The Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland Combined Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/1133), arts. 1, 14(5), Sch. 3 (with art. 28)

C6 Pt. 1 Chs. 1, 2 applied (with modifications (28.7.2020) by The Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/806), arts. 1, 10(5), Sch. 2 Pt. 1

C7 Pt. 1 Chs. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (30.1.2021) by The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Election of Mayor and Functions) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/112), arts. 1(2), 13(5), Sch. 2 Pts. 1, 2

C8 Pt. 1 Ch. 2 applied (with modifications) (20.12.2023) by The York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2023 (S.I. 2023/1432), arts. 1(2), 9(5), Sch. 2 Pt. 1

C9 Pt. 1 Chs. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (28.2.2024) by The East Midlands Combined County Authority Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/232), regs. 1(2), 10(5), Sch. 2 Pt. 1

C10 Pt. 1 Chs. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (7.5.2024) by The North East Mayoral Combined Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/402), arts. 1(3), 36(4), Sch. 4 (with art. 9)

C11 Pt. 1 Ch. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (5.2.2025) by The Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/115), regs. 1(2), 8(3), Sch. 2 Pt. 1

C12 Pt. 1 Ch. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (5.2.2025) by The Lancashire Combined County Authority Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/118), regs. 1(2), 8(3), Sch. 2 Pt. 1

C13 Pt. 1 Ch. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (5.2.2025) by The Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/117), regs. 1(2), 9(3), Sch. 2 Pt. 1

C14 Pt. 1 Ch. 1, 2 applied (with modifications) (5.2.2025) by The Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/113), arts. 1(2), 17(3), Sch. 3 Pt. 1

Planning E+W

13 Power of Secretary of State to make designation orders E+W

(1) The Secretary of State may by order designate an area in England [F1 outside Greater London] if the Secretary of State considers that—

(a) the area is suitable for development, and

(b) it is appropriate for the HCA to be the local planning authority for the whole or any part of the area—

(i) for particular permitted purposes, and

(ii) in relation to particular kinds of development.

(2) In deciding whether it is appropriate for the HCA to be the local planning authority as mentioned in subsection (1)(b), the Secretary of State must, in particular, be satisfied that making the designation order is likely to improve the effectiveness with which the functions of the local planning authority for the area or part are discharged.

(3) The Secretary of State must, before making a designation order—

(a) publish—

(i) a draft of the order, and

(ii) the Secretary of State's reasons for making the order, and

(b) consult the persons mentioned in subsection (4).

(4) The persons are—

(a) every local authority any part of whose area is intended to be included in the proposed designated area,

(b) any person, other than a local authority, who is the local planning authority for the proposed designated area or any part of it,

(c) such persons which appear to the Secretary of State to represent the interests of local authorities as the Secretary of State considers appropriate, and

(d) persons who reside or carry on business in the proposed designated area.

(5) In this Part—

• “designated area” means an area designated by a designation order,

• “designation order” means an order under this section,

• “local planning authority”, in relation to a designation order or proposed designation order, means—

  (a)

  so far as the order relates to permitted purposes under Part 2 [F2 or 3] of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (c. 5), the local planning authority within the meaning of that Part of that Act, and

  (b)

  in any other case, the local planning authority within the meaning of Part 1 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (c. 8),

• “permitted purposes” means any purposes of—

  (a)

  the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (other than section 137A, Parts 9 and 13, and sections 325A, 329A and 330A, of that Act),

  (b)

  the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (c. 9) (other than section 32A, Chapter 5 of Part 1, and sections 82A to 82F and 88C, of that Act), and

  (c)

  Part 2 [F3 or 3] of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 [F4 , and

  (d)

  Part 8 of the Planning Act 2008,]

and references to a designated area, in the case of an area whose boundaries have been amended by an order made under this section by virtue of section 14 of the Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30), are to be read as references to the designated area as so amended.

[F5 (5A) The fact that the purposes of Part 13 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 are not permitted purposes does not affect the construction of references to the local planning authority to which an application could have been made in sections 293B to 293J in the Part.]

(6) In this section “local authority” means a county council in England [F6 or], a district council F7 ....

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 13(1) inserted (1.4.2012) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), ss. 189(4), 240(2); S.I. 2012/628, art. 6(f) (with arts. 9 11 14 15 17)

F2 Words in s. 13(5) inserted (15.11.2011 for specified purposes, 6.4.2012 for specified purposes, 3.8.2012 for specified purposes and 6.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), s. 240(5)(j), Sch. 12 para. 31(a); S.I. 2012/628, art. 8(a) (with arts. 9 12 13 16 18-20 (as amended (3.8.2012) by S.I. 2012/2029, art. 4)); S.I. 2012/2029, arts. 2, 3(a); S.I. 2013/797, arts. 1(2), 2

F3 Words in s. 13(5) inserted (15.11.2011 for specified purposes, 6.4.2012 for specified purposes, 3.8.2012 for specified purposes and 6.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), s. 240(5)(j), Sch. 12 para. 31(b); S.I. 2012/628, art. 8(a) (with arts. 9 12 13 16 18-20 (as amended (3.8.2012) by S.I. 2012/2029, art. 4)); S.I. 2012/2029, arts. 2, 3(a); S.I. 2013/797, arts. 1(2), 2

F4 Words in s. 13(5) inserted (1.3.2010) by Planning Act 2008 (c. 29), s. 241(8), Sch. 2 para. 65 (with s. 226); S.I. 2010/101, art. 2 (with art. 6)

F5 S. 13(5A) inserted (1.5.2025) by The Town and Country Planning (Fees and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/418), regs. 1(3), 16

F6 Word in s. 13(6) inserted (1.4.2012) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), ss. 189(5)(a), 240(2); S.I. 2012/628, art. 6(f) (with arts. 9 11 14 15 17)

F7 Words in s. 13(6) repealed (1.4.2012) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), ss. 189(5)(b), 240(2), Sch. 25 Pt. 31; S.I. 2012/628, arts. 6(f)(j)(ii) (with arts. 9 11 14 15 17)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 13 in force at 1.12.2008 by S.I. 2008/3068, art. 2(1)(h) (with arts. 6-13)