Clause 5 - Planning
London Olympics Bill
4:00 pm
Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Sheffield Central, Labour)
I agree with the sentiment behind the amendments. Let us first address amendment No. 55. As the hon. Lady said, we established in the debate on clause 4 that the local authorities are central to the Olympic planning process. We must all recognise the achievement of the joint planning authority team, which has worked hard to drive forward the review of planning applications for the Olympic park. The ODA, once it is established, will appoint a planning committee, and I envisage that the Olympic park boroughs will be represented on that. That will ensure that the views of local authorities are taken into account throughout the process; partnership working is already built into the ODA's planning functions. I do not know specifically about the GLA in that context; to some extent that is up to the ODA.
I turn to amendment No. 59. It will be possible for the ODA to plan and deliver all the necessary transport requirements for the Olympic and Paralympic games only by working closely with the various interested parties. It will therefore be essential for the ODA, in preparing and revising the Olympic transport plan, to consult all those who are likely to be involved in, or affected by, the implementation of the plan.
Clause 8(3) sets out the key organisations and people that the ODA will need to consult—including the relevant local highway, traffic and street authorities—in preparing and revising the Olympic transport plan to ensure its deliverability. There are undoubtedly others whose input will also be crucial. Obviously, it would not be possible to list in the Bill every organisation or body that the ODA should consult. Clause 8(3)(k) therefore makes provision for the ODA to consult such other persons as it thinks appropriate.
In view of the important contributions that local authorities will have to make in planning for and delivering Olympic and Paralympic transport, I would fully expect the ODA to consult them as it prepares or revises relevant parts of the Olympic transport plan. Paragraph 18 of schedule 1 will enable the Secretary of State to give guidance and directions to that effect, although, as I say, I expect the ODA to consult all those bodies as a matter of course. It is therefore not necessary to list those bodies in the Bill. The ODA will not have planning powers in Scotland, so there is no need to extend the clause to include Scotland.