The letter, published by the Blackpool Gazette, reads: "The reason for this direction is because the drilling appeals involve proposals for exploring and developing shale gas which amount to proposals for development of major importance having more than local significance and proposals which raise important or novel issues of development control, and/or legal difficulties".
Since then, numerous developers have approached the city with proposals for development.
Where there is no plan, proposals for development will be judged on the national NPPF criteria.
The area is already protected under the comprehensive review process the town has for all proposals for development, a process that balances environmental concerns with economic realities.
Mr. Gargano has also been culling proposals for development of the 800,000-square-foot post office annex that faces Ninth Avenue and is not part of the existing plan.
He also argues that the Oyster Bay town government is already protecting drinking water through "reasonable and orderly planning and development" and a "comprehensive review process for all proposals for development".
The newspaper, which obtained three proposals for development plans under the state Freedom of Information Act, reported yesterday that the award of the money is expected to be announced in November or December.
Here, local communities (usually rural) put together their own proposals for development so that some of the proceeds go to shared benefits and growth is no longer an aggressive intervention by outsiders.
Authorities that produce an up-to-date local plan will find that the law not only allows them, but requires them to refuse proposals for development which are contrary to a local plan.
