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Bill · started in the Commons

Planning Act 2008

A Bill to establish the Infrastructure Planning Commission and make provision about its functions; to make provision about, and about matters ancillary to, the authorisation of projects for the development of nationally significant infrastructure; to make provision about town and country planning; to make provision about the imposition of a Community Infrastructure Levy; and for connected purposes.

Now an Act of Parliament

The story so farThe Planning Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 27 November 2007 by Hazel Blears (Labour). It completed its passage through Parliament and became law as the Planning Act 2008, receiving Royal Assent on 26 November 2008.

What the bill does

<p><strong>Planning Bill</strong></p><p>The Bill introduces a new system for approving major infrastructure of national importance, such as harbours and waste facilities, and replaces current regimes under several pieces of legislation. The objective is to streamline these decisions and avoid long public inquiries.</p><p><strong>Key areas</strong></p><ul><li>Decisions would be taken by a new Infrastructure Planning Commission </li><li>Decisions would be based on new national policy statements </li><li>The hearing and decision-making process by the Commission would be timetabled</li><li>The new regime would be used for energy developments like nuclear power </li><li>The Secretary of State would no longer have the final say on major infrastructure decisions</li><li>There would be a new Community Infrastructure Levy on developments to finance infrastructure. The idea of this would be to raise money from developers to pay for facilities needed as a consequence of new developments, such as schools, hospitals and sewage plants.</li><li>Planning appeals for minor developments would be heard by a panel of local councillors rather than by a planning inspector.</li></ul>

Progress through Parliament

  1. 1st reading Commons 27 Nov 2007
  2. 2nd reading Commons 10 Dec 2007
  3. Programme motion Commons 10 Dec 2007
  4. Money resolution Commons 10 Dec 2007
  5. Committee stage Commons 8 Jan to 5 Feb 2008
  6. Programme motion Commons 2 Jun 2008
  7. Report stage Commons 2 Jun to 25 Jun 2008
  8. Programme motion Commons 25 Jun 2008
  9. 3rd reading Commons 25 Jun 2008
  10. 1st reading Lords 26 Jun 2008
  11. 2nd reading Lords 15 Jul 2008
  12. Committee stage Lords 6 Oct to 23 Oct 2008
  13. Report stage Lords 6 Nov to 12 Nov 2008
  14. 3rd reading Lords 18 Nov 2008
  15. Programme motion Commons 24 Nov 2008
  16. Consideration of Lords amendments Commons 24 Nov 2008
  17. Consideration of Commons amendments and / or reasons Lords 25 Nov 2008
  18. Royal Assent Unassigned 26 Nov 2008

Source: the official bill page. Last updated 23 Feb 2009.