§ 5. Mr. Sparksasked the Minister of Town and Country Planning, in order to expedite the development of housing schemes, if he will, at the earliest possible date, indicate those areas within the scope of the Greater London Plan which he approves for housing development and those he disapproves.
§ Mr. F. MarshallMy right hon. Friend is prepared to indicate areas which he can approve for housing development on the submission of proposals by the appropriate local authority Further surveys have been or are being made at his request by joint planning committees in the more difficult areas to ascertain what land is suitable for housing development. The results of these surveys are examined by my right hon. Friends the Minister of Town and Country Planning, and the Minister of Health, and their views conveyed to the authorities concerned.
§ Mr. SparksIs the Minister aware of the delay and waste of time, labour, and materials involved in the preparation of informal plans for the development of sites which subsequently are disapproved by my right hon. Friend, and is it possible to avoid such delay by indicating to the local authorities precisely which sites the Minister favours for housing development and which he disapproves for that purpose?
§ Mr. MarshallI think my hon. Friend may take it that any disapproval which may take place is in the interests of good planning. My right hon. Friend is aware of the difficulties of planning in the Greater London area and I am quite sure that it is the desire of everyone in the House to see that area planned on really good lines.
§ 7. Mr. Sparksasked the Minister of Town and Country Planning which authorities in the region of the Greater London Plan have revoked operative planning schemes and are now controlled by Interim Development Orders.
§ Mr. F. MarshallNo operative schemes in the Greater London Area has yet been revoked, although my right hon. Friend has approved resolutions to revoke operative schemes in Luton and Acton in regard to the whole or part of the areas to which they relate Further, the borough councils of Ilford and Chingford and the urban districts of Chigwell, Thurrock and Haslemere have passed resolutions to prepare varying schemes for the whole or part of the scheme areas, and pending the coming into operation of the varying schemes the provisions of the operative schemes have been suspended and interim development control reimposed.