Part 3: Planning Procedure for certain planning proceedings Section 20: Procedure for certain planning proceedings
Section 20 amends the power for the Secretary of State in England to determine which procedure (written representations, a hearing or a local inquiry) should be adopted in certain proceedings to enable a more flexible deployment of one or more of the three types of procedure. These decisions are delegated to the Planning Inspectorate, whose Planning Inspectors take the decision on behalf of the Secretary of State and who deal with the various planning appeals covered by this section.
	Section 20(1) amends section 319A(2) of the 1990 Act to apply that change to:
appeals in relation to the determination of planning appeals under section 78 of the 1990 Act;
appeals against the refusal or failure of a local planning authority to make a decision on an application under section 195 of the 1990 Act;
appeals against enforcement notices under section 174 of the 1990 Act;
appeals in relation to an application to modify or discharge affordable housing requirements under section 106BC of the 1990 Act; and
applications made to the Secretary of State under section 52A or s77 of the 1990 Act.
	Section 20(2) amends section 88D(2) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 to apply the same change to appeals covered by that section of that Act. Finally subsection (3) amends section 21A(2) of the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 to apply the same change to appeals covered by that section of that Act.
	The amendments under this section are permanent. The flexibility for a planning inspector to use more than one procedure to determine planning appeals is required to enable the Planning Inspectorate to deal with cases quickly and efficiently during the coronavirus pandemic. However, this change will provide ongoing efficiencies to the work of the Planning Inspectorate.