§ 11. Mr. Stokesasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government on what date he granted permission for the building of a telephone exchange on Christchurch Green, Victoria Street, and what were his reasons for so doing rather than directing it should be built on a less delectable site.
§ Mr. H. MacmillanI have not granted any permission for the building of a telephone exchange on Christchurch Green, Victoria Street, which is allocated in the County of London Development Plan for public open space. My noble Friend the Postmaster-General has a proposal to erect a telephone exchange on the site of the ruined church and the adjoining vicarage standing behind the Green and fronting Caxton Street. This land is not included in the proposed public open space and is allocated for office use in the Plan.
§ Mr. StokesThat is only a difference; but is the Minister aware that this site must be worth at least £200,000 an acre? Is he aware that when I was in office I stopped this sort of depredation on this side of Victoria Street? Does he really think it suitable to build a telephone exchange on a live site like this instead of on one of the many dead sites on the south side?
§ Mr. MacmillanThe question is completely different from that on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. StokesWill the Minister do me the favour of answering my question? Does he not think it is the responsibility of his Department to stop vandalism of this kind by other Departments?
§ Mr. MacmillanI have not had the good fortune of holding the position the right hon. Gentleman held. It is not part 817 of my Department's concern. When I read the Question I thought that the right hon. Gentleman was objecting to the use of what ought to be an open space, but I now understand that he does not object to building on a site which ought not to be built on according to the Plan, but is saying that it ought not to be a telephone exchange but something else. That is another question, and I will see that it is passed on to the appropriate Department.