Requesting a Call-in

Final Date for sending a call-in request: 11 November 08

The Secretary of State (Hazel Blears) has reserve powers to direct the council to refer a planning application to her for decision. This is what is meant by a call-in. When she calls in an application, she gives her direction in a "call-in letter" to the council. She can then approve or reject the application or call a public inquiry.

There are 3 grounds for a call-in by the Secretary of State. The two primary reasons are 'more than local importance' and 'public controversy', both coupled to a conflict with regional and national policy. The third is novel issues if you can think of any.

Writing a Call-In Letter

We need as many people as possible to write a letter or email to the Government Office of the Northwest (GONW). Each separate person in a household is entitled to write separately and the numbers of separate objections are important so please consider that.

GONW advises us that representations for a call-in should be made within three weeks from the time of the planning decision referral to GONW. Though we have not been informed of the exact date the referral occurred we have given our best guess above in th red box.

There is no specific format required to set out your case for a call-in. It can simply be a letter or a more formal representation, however, it is important that you also request that the Secretary of State issues what is known as an Article 14 Directive. This is effectively a holding directive instructing the planning authority not to take any further action pending the decision of the Secretary of State whether or not to call-in. The application numbers you should quote at present include the ones which were passed by planning committe on October 14th. That is, as well as the main application 08/00866/OUT, you should also quote : 07/00674/LB, 07/00673/CON, 07/00671/CON, 07/00670/CON, 07/00669/LB, 07/00668/LB, 07/00667/LB, 07/00666/CON, 07/00665/LB, 07/00663/CON, 07/00662/LB. You can copy and paste this excerpt listing the applications to start off your request.

Where to send your call in request

Send your email or letters to GONW - contact details below. TSLM advised us that the local MP would carry great weight so you could also write to our MP Ben Wallace about this decision, though to our knowledge Mr Wallace supports this development (naturally without knowing much about the issues that concern his constituents).

GONW Email Address

You can send your request to ian.garland@gonw.gsi.gov.uk.

GONW Letters

Ian Garland
Government Office for the North West
12th Floor
City Tower
Piccadilly Plaza
Manchester
M1 4BE
Tel: 0161 9524337
Fax: 0161 9524106