Planning Act 2008

1. Introduction

2. Summary

   1. Part 1

   2. Part 2

   3. Part 3

   4. Part 4

   5. Part 5

   6. Part 6

   7. Part 7

   8. Part 8

   9. Part 9

   10. Part 10

   11. Part 11

   12. Part 12

3. Background

4. Structure of the Act

5. Territorial Extent

6. Commentary

   1. Part 1: the Infrastructure Planning Commission

      1. Section 1 and Schedule 1: The Infrastructure Planning Commission

   2. Schedule 1

   3. Schedule 1, Paragraph 1: Membership, chair and deputies

   4. Schedule 1, Paragraph 2: Terms of Appointment

   5. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 3 and 4: Tenure

   6. Schedule 1, Paragraph 5: Remuneration of Commissioners

   7. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 6 to 10: Council

   8. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 11 to 13: Chief executive and staff

   9. Schedule 1, Paragraph 14: Arrangements for assistance

   10. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 15 and 16: Delegation

   11. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 17 and 18: Reports

   12. Schedule 1, Paragraph 19: Funding

   13. Schedule 1, Paragraph 20: Accounts

   14. Schedule 1, Paragraph 21: Status

   15. Schedule 1, Paragraph 22: validity of proceedings

   16. Schedule 1, Paragraph 23: Application of seal and proof of instruments

   17. Schedule 1, Paragraph 24: Parliamentary Commissioner

   18. Schedule 1, Paragraphs 25 and 26: Disqualification/Public records

   19. Schedule 1, Paragraph 27:

       1. Section 2, Code of conduct

       2. Section 3: Register of Commissioners’ interests

       3. Section 4: Fees

   20. Part 2: National Policy Statements

       1. Section 5: National Policy Statements

       2. Section 6: Review

       3. Sections 7, 8 and 9: Consultation and publicity/Consultation on publicity requirements/Parliamentary requirements

       4. Section 10: Sustainable development

       5. Section 11: Suspension pending review

       6. Section 12 Pre-commencement statements of policy, consultation etc

       7. Section 13: Legal challenges relating to national policy statements

   21. Part 3: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects

       1. Section 14: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects: General

       2. Section 15: Generating Stations

       3. Section 16: Electric lines

       4. Section 17: Underground gas storage

       5. Sections 18 and 19: LNG facilities/ Gas reception facilities

       6. Section 20: Gas transporter pipe-lines

       7. Section 21: Other pipe-lines

       8. Section 22: Highways

       9. Section 23: Airports

       10. Section 24: Harbour facilities

       11. Sections 25 and 26: Railways and Rail Freight interchanges

       12. Sections 27 and 28: Dams and reservoirs and transfers of water resources

       13. Section 29: Waste water treatment plants

       14. Section 30: Hazardous waste facility

   22. Part 4: Requirement for Development Consent

       1. Section 31: When development consent is required

       2. Section 32: Meaning of “development”

       3. Section 33: Effect of requirement for development consent on other consent regimes

       4. Section 34: Welsh offshore generating stations

       5. Section 35: Directions in relation to projects of national significance

       6. Section 36 and Schedule 2: Amendments consequential on development consent regime

   23. Part 5: Applications for Orders Granting Development Consent

   24. Part 5, Chapter 1 – Applications

       1. Section 37: Applications for order granting development consent

       2. Sections 38: Model provisions

       3. Section 39: Register of applications

       4. Section 40: Applications by Crown for orders granting development consent

   25. Part 5, Chapter 2 – Pre-application procedure

       1. Section 41: Chapter applies before application is made

       2. Sections 42 to 44: Duty to consult etc.

       3. Section 45: Timetable for consultation under section 42

       4. Section 46: Duty to notify Commission of proposed application

       5. Section 47: Duty to consult local community

       6. Section 48: Duty to publicise

       7. Section 49: Duty to take account of responses to consultation and publicity

       8. Section 50: Guidance about pre-application procedure

   26. Part 5, Chapter 3 – Assistance for applicants and others

       1. Section 51: Advice for potential applicants and others

       2. Section 52: Obtaining information about interests in land

       3. Sections 53 and 54: Rights of entry and Crown land

   27. Part 6: Deciding Applications for Orders Granting Development Consent

   28. Part 6, Chapter 1 –Handling of application by the Commission

       1. Section 55 – Acceptance of applications

       2. Sections 56 and 57 – Notifying persons of accepted application/Categories for purposes of section 56(2)(d)

       3. Section 58 – Certifying compliance with section 56

       4. Section 59: Notice of persons interested in land to which compulsory acquisition relates

       5. Section 60: Local impact report

       6. Section 61: Initial choice of Panel or single Commissioner

       7. Section 62: Switching from single Commissioner to Panel

       8. Section 63: Delegation of functions by person appointed to chair Commission

   29. Part 6, Chapter 2: The Panel Procedure

       1. Section 64: Panel for each application to be handled under this Chapter

       2. Section 65: Appointment of members, and lead member, of Panel

       3. Section 66: Ceasing to be member, or lead member, of Panel

       4. Section 67: Panel member continuing though ceasing to be Commissioner

       5. Section 68: Additional appointments to Panel

       6. Section 69: Replacement of lead member of Panel

       7. Section 70: Membership of Panel where application relates to land in Wales

       8. Section 71: Supplementary provision where Panel replaces single Commissioner

       9. Section 72: Panel ceasing to have any members

       10. Section 73: Consequences of changes in Panel

       11. Section 74: Panel to decide, or make recommendation in respect of, application

       12. Section 75: Decision-making by the Panel

       13. Section 76: Allocation within Panel of Panel’s functions

       14. Section 77: Exercise of Panel’s powers for examining application

   30. Part 6, Chapter 3: The single Commissioner Procedure

       1. Section 78: Single Commissioner to handle application

       2. Section 79: Appointment of single Commissioner

       3. Section 80: Ceasing to be the single Commissioner

       4. Section 81: Single Commissioner continuing though ceasing to be Commissioner

       5. Section 82: Appointment of replacement single Commissioner

       6. Sections 83 and 84: single Commissioner to examine and report on application/report from single Commissioner to be referred to Council

       7. Section 85: Decisions made by the Council on the application

   31. Part 6, Chapter 4: Examination of applications under Chapter 2 or 3

       1. Section 86: Chapter applies to examination by Panel or single Commissioner

       2. Section 87: Examining authority to control examination of application

       3. Section 88: Initial assessment of issues and preliminary meeting

       4. Section 89: Examining authority’s decisions about how application is to be examined

       5. Section 90: Written representations

       6. Section 91: Hearings about specific issues

       7. Section 92: Compulsory acquisition hearings

       8. Section 93: Open-floor hearings

       9. Section 94: Hearings: general provisions

       10. Section 95: Hearings: disruption, supervision and costs

       11. Section 96: Representations not made orally may be made in writing

       12. Section 97: Procedure rules

       13. Section 98: Timetable for examining, and reporting on, application

       14. Section 99: Completion of Examining authority’s examination of application

       15. Section 100: Assessors

       16. Section 101: Legal advice and assistance

       17. Section 102: Interpretation of Chapter 4: “interested party” and other expressions

   32. Part 6, Chapter 5: Decisions on applications

       1. Section 103: Cases where Secretary of State is, and meaning of, decision-maker

       2. Section 104: Decisions of Panel and Council

       3. Section 105: Decisions of Secretary of State

       4. Section 106: Matters that may be disregarded when deciding application

       5. Section 107: Timetable for decisions

   33. Part 6, Chapter 6: Suspension of decision-making process

       1. Section 108: Suspension during review of national policy statement

   34. Part 6, Chapter 7: Intervention by Secretary of State

       1. Sections 109, 110, 111 and 112: Intervention: significant change in circumstances/ Intervention: defence and national security / Intervention: other circumstances/ Power of Secretary of State to intervene

       2. Section 113: Effect of intervention

   35. Part 6, Chapter 8: Grant or refusal

       1. Sections 114 and 115: Grant or refusal of development consent/ development for which development consent may be granted/ reasons for decision/ formalities for orders

   36. Part 6, Chapter 9: Legal challenges

       1. Section 118: Legal challenges relating to applications for orders granting development consent

   37. Part 6, Chapter 10: Correction of errors

       1. Section 119 and Schedule 4: Correction of errors in development consent decisions

   38. Schedule 4

   39. Schedule 4, Paragraph 1: Correction of errors

   40. Schedule 4, Paragraph 2: Correction notice

   41. Schedule 4, Paragraph 3: Effect of a correction

   42. Part 7: Orders Granting Development Consent

   43. Part 7, Chapter 1: Content of development consent orders

       1. Section 120: What may be included in order granting development consent

       2. Schedule 5: Provision relating to, or to matters ancillary to, development

       3. Section 121: Proposed exercise of powers in relation to legislation

       4. Section 122: Purpose for which compulsory acquisition may be authorised

       5. Section 123: Land to which authorisation of compulsory acquisition can relate

       6. Section 124: Guidance about authorisation of compulsory acquisition

       7. Section 125: Application of compulsory acquisition provisions

       8. Section 126: Compensation for compulsory acquisition

       9. Section 127: Statutory undertakers’ land

       10. Sections 128 and 129: Local authority and statutory undertakers’ land: general / Local authority and statutory undertakers’ land: acquisition by public body

       11. Section 130: National Trust land

       12. Section 131: Commons, open spaces etc: compulsory acquisition of land

       13. Section 132: Commons, open spaces etc: compulsory acquisition of rights over land

       14. Section 133: Rights in connection with underground gas storage facilities

       15. Section 134: Notice of authorisation of compulsory acquisition

       16. Section 135: Orders: Crown land

       17. Section 136: Public rights of way

       18. Section 137: Public rights of way: statutory undertakers’ apparatus etc.

       19. Section 138: Extinguishment of rights, and removal of apparatus, of statutory undertakers etc.

       20. Section 139: Common land and rights of common

       21. Section 140: Operation of generating stations

       22. Section 141: Keeping electric lines installed above ground

       23. Section 142: Use of underground gas storage facilities

       24. Section 143: Diversion of watercourses

       25. Section 144: Highways

       26. Section 145: Harbours

       27. Section 146: Discharge of water

       28. Section 147: Development of Green Belt land

       29. Section 148: Deemed consent under section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949

       30. Section 149: Deemed licences under Part 2 of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985

       31. Section 150: Removal of consent requirements

       32. Section 151: Liability under existing regimes

       33. Section 152: Compensation in case where no right to claim in nuisance

       34. Chapter 2: Changes to, and revocation of, orders granting development consent

           1. Section 153 & Schedule 6: Changes to, and revocations of, orders granting development consent

   44. Schedule 6

   45. Schedule 6, Paragraph 1: Preliminary

   46. Schedule 6, Paragraph 2: Non-material changes

   47. Schedule 6, Paragraph 3: Changes to, and revocation of, orders granting development consent

   48. Schedule 6, Paragraphs 4 and 5: Changes to, and revocation of, orders: supplementary

   49. Schedule 5, Paragraphs 6 and 7: Compensation

   50. Part 7, Chapter 3: General

       1. Section 154: Duration of order granting development consent

       2. Section 155: When development begins

       3. Section 156: Benefit of order granting development consent

       4. Section 157: Use of buildings in respect of which development consent granted

       5. Section 158: Nuisance: statutory authority

       6. Section 159: Interpretation: rights over land

   51. Part 8: Enforcement

       1. Section 160: Offence: development without development consent

       2. Section 161: Offence: breach of terms of order granting development consent

       3. Section 162: Time limits

       4. Section 163: Right to enter without warrant

       5. Section 164: Right to enter under warrant

       6. Section 165: Rights of entry: supplementary provisions

       7. Section 166: Rights of entry: Crown land

       8. Section 167: Power to require information

       9. Section 168: Offences relating to information notices

       10. Section 169: Notice of unauthorised development

       11. Section 170: Execution of works required by unauthorised development notice

       12. Section 171: Injunctions

       13. Section 172: Isles of Scilly

       14. Section 173: The relevant local planning authority

   52. Part 9: Changes to Existing Planning Regimes

   53. Part 9, Chapter 1: Changes related to development consent regime

       1. Sections 174: Planning obligations

       2. Sections 175 and 176: Blighted land: England and Wales / Blighted land: Scotland

       3. Section 177: Grants for advice and assistance: England and Wales

       4. Section 178: Grants for advice and assistance: Scotland

   54. Part 9, Chapter 2: Other changes to existing planning regimes

       1. Section 179: Delegation of functions of regional planning bodies

       2. Section 180: Local development documents

       3. Section 181: Regional spatial strategies: climate change policies

       4. Section 182: Development plan documents: climate change policies

       5. Section 183: Good design

       6.  Section 184: Correction of errors in decisions

       7. Section 185: Power of High Court to remit strategies, plans and documents

       8. Section 186: Power of High Court to remit unitary development plans in Wales

       9. Section 187 and Schedule 7: Power to decline to determine applications: amendments

       10. Section 188: Local development orders: removal of requirement to implement policies

       11. Section 189: Compensation where development order or local development order withdrawn

       12. Section 190: Power to make non-material changes to planning permission

       13. Section 191: Validity of orders, decisions and directions

       14. Section 192 and Schedule 8: Tree preservation orders

       15. Section 193: Existing tree preservation orders: transitional provision

       16. Section 194 and Schedule 9: Use of land: power to override easements and other rights

       17. Section 195: Applications and appeals by statutory undertakers

       18. Section 196 and Schedule 10: Determination of procedure for certain proceedings

       19. Section 197 and Schedule 11: Appeals: miscellaneous amendments

       20. Section 198: Appeals relating to old mining permissions

       21. Section 199: Fees for planning applications etc.

       22. Section 200: Fees for appeals

       23. Section 201: Meaning of “local authority” in planning Acts

   55. Part 10: Wales

       1. Section 202: Powers of National Assembly for Wales

       2. Section 203: Power to make provision in relation to Wales

       3. Section 204: Wales: transitional provision in relation to blighted land

   56. Part 11: Community Infrastructure Levy

       1. Section 205: The levy

       2. Section 206: The charge

       3. Section 207: Joint committees

       4. Section 208: Liability and Section 209: Liability: interpretation of key terms

       5. Section 210: Charities

       6. Section 211: Amount

       7. Section 212: Charging schedule: examination

       8. Section 213 Charging schedule: approval

       9. Section 214: Charging schedule: effect

       10. Section 215: Appeals

       11. Section 216: Application

       12. Section 217: Collection

       13. Section 218: Enforcement

       14. Section 219: Compensation

       15. Section 220: Community Infrastructure Levy: procedure

       16. Section 221: Secretary of State

       17. Section 222: Regulations and orders: general

       18. Section 223:  Relationship with other powers

       19. Section 224: Community Infrastructure Levy: amendments

       20. Section 225: Community Infrastructure Levy: repeals

   57. Part 12: Final Provisions

       1. Section 226: The Crown

       2. Section 227: “Crown land” and “the appropriate Crown authority”

       3. Section 228: Enforcement in relation to the Crown and Parliament

       4. Section 229: Service of notices: general

       5. Section 230: Service of documents to persons interested in or occupying premises

       6. Section 231: Service of notices on the Crown and Parliament

       7. Sections 232-242: Additional provisions, including commencement

7. Hansard References