§ 42. Mr. Goughasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he is aware that, five years ago, when Mr. and Mrs. Holland, bought their house, known as The Cottage in the Wood, Worth, Sussex, it appeared on the master plan of the Crawley Development Corporation as being within a green belt; and why Mr. and Mrs. Holland were not informed when this green belt area was altered.
§ Mr. SandysThis land was never at any time zoned as part of a green belt.
§ Mr. GoughIs my right hon. Friend aware that Mr. Holland has been shamefully treated in this matter; that he was given an assurance by the Crawley Development Corporation at the time he bought this house that it was in a green belt and that he was shown a master plan to that effect; that that was also confirmed by the local authority, and that he has never been notified of any change? Is my right hon. Friend further aware that the appeal by Mr. Holland's neighbour which has recently been upheld by his Ministry was a travesty of justice, as Mr. Holland received only two days' notice of this appeal and could not even be represented at it? Would my right hon. Friend do something about it?
§ Mr. SandysI do not know about the circumstances to which my hon. Friend referred in the latter part of his supplementary question. All I would say is that if the purchaser was under the impression that his property was in the green belt, there was a misunderstanding. Even if it had been in the green belt, it is quite possible that the construction of this house—to which objection has been taken—between Mr. Holland's house and the neighbouring would none the less have been approved. It does not follow that because it was in the green belt it would have been improper to put an additional house between two existing houses already in the green belt.
§ Mr. GoughOn a point of order. In view of the very unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.