The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has decided not to call in the Radley Lakes Planning Application, for reasons given in the letter attached to this link. The holding order, issued on 19 September, has now been lifted and Oxfordshire County Council is now free to grant the planning permission as it has already resolved to do.

[Update 10/11/2006]

Just two days after reaching this conclusion, the Secretary of State made a speech (http://tinyurl.com/u4zcx) in which she set out policies on the environment, waste and sustainability that stand in direct contradiction to this decision:

This raises questions such as who actually made the decision and why. Is this yet another example of politicians saying one thing and doing another, and then wondering why we do not trust them, or is it that our Government Departments are really just great big headless chickens?

Indeed, Communities and Local Government watchers will know that it's firmly embedded in my new vision for my Department - a vision "of prosperous and cohesive communities, offering a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for all." These are not just fine words, they are an action plan.

The Government's strategy for sustainable development 'Securing the Future' identifies four priority areas:

• Climate change and energy
• Sustainable consumption and production
• Natural resource protection and environmental enhancement and
• Sustainable communities.

      ...

We already have in place planning policies to help deliver more sustainable waste management and treat waste as a resource. But recycling more, and reducing reliance on landfill, will take a step change in waste management at regional and local level, with significant new investment in waste plant.

Ruth Kelly, 18 October 2006