Part 8: Development Corporations Planning functions 7A Development corporation as planning authority in England
Subsection (1) and (2) inserts new section 7A (Development corporation as planning authority in England) and 7B (Arrangements for discharge of, or assistance with, planning functions in England) into the New Towns Act 1981. New section 7A(1) to (3) allows for New Town Development Corporations to become the local planning authority for the purposes of local plan-making, development management, and neighbourhood planning by order. This can be, separately or collectively, for those purposes for any part of the New Town Development Corporation area. It can also be for such purposes and such kinds of development in relation to development management functions and for such purposes for local plan making and neighbourhood planning.
	Section 7A(4)allows the New Town Development Corporation to have other planning functions under Part 1 and Part 2 of Schedule 29 to the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980. Section 7A(5) in respect of Schedule 29, allows references to local planning authorities to be applied to a New Town Development Corporation specified in an order and provides that legislation in Schedule 29 can be applied to the corporation subject to modification in an order. Section 7A(6) provides for a New Town Development Corporation to become the minerals and waste planning authority for the purpose of plan-making. This provision does not apply to Locally-led New Town Development Corporations.
	Section 7A(7) provides for a New Town Development Corporation to take on functions set out by Schedule 8 to the Electricity Act 1989 for consenting planning applications under section 37 of the 1989 Act.
	Section 7A(8) provides that the planning functions in section 7A can be for the whole or any part of the area designated as a new town. Section 7A(9) allows for supplementary or transitional provisions and savings and section 7A(10) sets out the meaning of ‘specified’.