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Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission

Asked by Kevin HollinrakeConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 10 March 2025UIN 33934

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 22642 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Application, for what reason (a) Equality Impact Assessments and (b) Environmental Principles Assessments are not undertaken on decisions to call-in planning applications.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

A decision on whether or not to call in a planning application is a matter of jurisdiction and does not deal with the merits of the case.

The decision to call in these applications was made on the basis of the policy set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 26 October 2012.

The published propriety guidance relates particularly to recovered appeals and called in decisions, but the guidance is clear that the key propriety principles also apply to decisions on other planning matters.

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