§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the current rate of replacement is of Britain's housing stock(a) overall and (b) by region; and what estimate the Government have made of the rate at which Britain's housing stock needs to be replaced. [77627]
§ Ms ArmstrongThe table shows the Department's estimates of the dwelling stock at end-1996 and end-1997, together with figures for housebuilding, gains from conversions and changes of use, and losses through demolitions. New housebuilding is developed both to replace existing stock and to provide homes for new households. Conversions represent the adaptation and upgrading of the existing stock. Demolitions are part of the process of replacing the current stock.
Local authorities take the need to replace existing stock into account when calculating housing requirement for planning purposes.
The Department does not make any estimates of the rate at which the housing stock needs to be replaced.
§ Mr. RaynsfordI can confirm that there were seven shortlisted sites from which outline proposals for a Greater London authority building were considered.
A formal announcement of the shortlist was made on 22 September, the shortlisted buildings and sites were:
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- Camelford House
- Canary Wharf
- London Bridge City
- Regents Place
- Vauxhall Cross
- Victoria House
- Town Square, Victoria.
The information provided by the seven shortlisted developers on which the evaluation was based was supplied on a commercially confidential basis and therefore cannot be disclosed.
§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions who is the current owner of the London Bridge city site proposed by CIT Markborough Ltd for the new Greater London authority building. [77816]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe London Bridge city site currently being developed by CIT Markborough Ltd. is owned by London Bridge Holdings Ltd. The shareholders of that company are a member of the CIT Group of investors and DePfa Vastgoed, a wholly owned subsidiary of the DePfa Bank.
The CIT Group comprises various high net worth individuals and the group assets include £500 of central London commercial property in addition to the land at London Bridge.
§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of(a) staff who will be located in and (b) visitors to the new Greater London authority building in the London Bridge city site. [77818]
§ Mr. RaynsfordWe estimate that approximately 400 staff will be accommodated in the Greater London authority building. These is no way of telling how many members of the public will visit the new building, but we expect it to be an open and accessible structure, which will encourage Londoners and visitors to the capital to come along and view what will be a landmark design and see the Mayor and Assembly at work.
§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the cubic capacity of the proposed Greater London authority building on the London Bridge city site will be. [77821]
§ Mr. RaynsfordI can confirm that the cubic capacity of the Greater London authority building is 82,467 cubic metres (or 2,911,085 cubic feet).
§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide a breakdown of the cost of the (i) development of and (ii) equipping of the London Bridge city site as proposed by CIT Markborough Ltd. for the new Greater London authority building. [77819]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe London Bridge city building will be leased and negotiations with the developers on the final design, contributions to fitting out the building and rent are still in progress. Details will be made available once these negotiations are complete.
§ Mr. Edward DaveyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what security measures have been taken to protect the London Bridge city site for the proposed Greater London authority building since its designation was announced. [77820]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe London Bridge city building will be leased for an initial period of 25 years and negotiations are ongoing with site developer, CIT Markborough, regarding these contractual matters.
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