Dr. Conor Norton:

Our recommendation is for immediate emergency powers where Part 8 applications are not getting through. Our second recommendation relates to five-year proposals. While the planning system and policy are fixed, we recommend that the reserved function on the night of decision-making would rest with the chief executive.

We also recommend that an alternative route be available to the board during this period within which we are fixing the planning system, because it is very difficult to highlight performing or non-performing local authorities etc. Sometimes, there is patchy performance but most, if not all, planning provisions apply at a national level and across the board and we are suggesting that for operational reasons, the provisions would apply for this short-term period.