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5. March 2011
6. 17 March 2011
7. New unit to handle casework once dealt with by Government offices

New unit to handle casework once dealt with by Government offices

The Government has established a new body called the National Planning Casework Unit (NPCU), based in Birmingham, which is now taking over the planning casework activities previously dealt with by the network of Regional Government Offices.

Confirmation of this move has come in a letter from DCLG’s chief planner Steve Quartermain. In the letter he makes it clear that the new unit will not be dealing with the scope or range of planning and other activities undertaken by the Government Offices.

The following casework will be dealt with by NPCU:

• Referrals under the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009 (excluding London – see NULAD in Annex B)
• Environmental Statements (screening, scoping and trans-boundary effects)
• Listed Building Consent – local planning authority applications
• Listed Building Consent – private Applications (Circular 08/2009)
• Conservation Area Consents
• Article 4 Directions
• Statutory Allotments Disposals
• Revocation Orders
• Modification Orders
• Discontinuance Orders
• Completion Notices
• Green Belt (London and Home Counties) Act 1938
• Public Requests to Order Disposal of Land (PRODS)
• Prohibition and Suspension Orders (minerals permissions)
• Local Development Orders
• Referrals under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010
• Civil Aviation Authority objections (DfT/ODPM Circular 1/2003)
• Referrals under the Lee Valley Regional Park Act 1966
• Consent Section 14(2) of Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 and
• Consent under Article 17(2) of the Schedule to the Ministry of Housing and Local and Government Provisional Confirmation (Greater London Parks and Open Spaces) Act 1967.

The unit will also be dealing with requests to call in planning applications for Secretary of State’s decision (including call-in requests for Review of Old Minerals Permissions).

Download the letter to chief planning officers.

Roger Milne

17 March 2011