Chapter 4: Grant and Implementation of Planning Permission 293B Urgent Crown development: applications to the Secretary of State Effect
Section 293B(1) and (2) enables appropriate authorities to apply directly to the Secretary of State for planning permission for Crown development where the appropriate authority considers the development is of national importance and necessary that the development is carried out urgently.
	Subsection (3) has the effect of defining the types of applications which are within scope of this provision ("relevant applications"). Applications under section 73 (applications to develop land without compliance with conditions previously attached) are excluded. The Secretary of State also has a power to make regulations to further exclude other types of application from the scope of these provisions. This also allows for decisions for reserved matters applications.
	Subsection (4) requires that applications under this route must contain such information which may be set out in a development order, and a statement setting out the grounds for the application.
	Subsection (5) requires that Secretary of State must give notice, as soon as possible, to the appropriate authority as to his decision to agree or refuse to determine the application on the basis that the proposed development meets the criteria of being of national importance and required urgently (‘initial assessment’). Subsection (6) requires that the Secretary of State may only determine the application if the Secretary of State considers it meets these criteria. Subsection (7) requires that the Secretary of State must send a copy of a notice given under (5) to the local planning authority to whom the application could otherwise have been made.
	Subsection (8) allows Secretary of State to require further information from the appropriate authority in order to assist in making the initial assessment, or determining the application.
	Subsection (9) provides that further provisions may be made through a development order regarding certain aspects of the application, such as the form and manner of the application, notices and their form and content and publicity and a development order may make different provision for different cases or different classes of development (subsection (12)). Subsection (10) allows a development order to make provision restricting the public disclosure of information where it is deemed ‘sensitive’, as defined in subsection (11).
	Subsection (13) allows the Secretary of State to give directions requiring a local planning authority to do things in relation to an application made under section 293B. Subsection (14) sets out that directions under (13) may be given either in relation to a particular application or in relation to applications more generally, and to a particular authority or authorities more generally.