§ 26. Major MILNERasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to efforts by private builders to defeat the purpose of the town-planning scheme in the area of the Sevenoaks Rural District Council; and whether he proposes to take steps to secure that the Sevenoaks town-planning scheme shall not be rendered ineffective by the action of private interests?
Sir H. YOUNGA final scheme has not yet been submitted for the area, and I presume that the hon. and gallant Member refers to development contrary to the intentions of the Council while the scheme is being prepared. My attention has been drawn to one alleged instance of this kind. Building development in the area of a planning scheme which is undertaken without permission while the scheme is in course of preparation is liable to be removed, pulled down or altered without compensation, if it does not conform with the scheme as finally approved. There is no power to enforce compliance with the prospective provisions of a scheme. The remedy is to press forward with the completion of the operative scheme.
§ Mr. ATTLEEDoes not the right hon. Gentleman realise that this is a serious defect in the housing and town planning legislation, owing to the fact that builders are able to anticipate the scheme and practically defeat its object, and is he not prepared to introduce legislation?
Sir H. YOUNGNo, Sir, I do not think that is so, because in the ordinary case the fact that a building may be pulled down and removed without compensation is quite adequate security for the provisions with respect to a scheme.
Captain CROOKSHANKAre not these considerations of quite general application, and is it not a little unfair to put to the right hon. Gentleman a question about Sevenoaks?