§ 33. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Transport if he will arrange in respect of householders and shopkeepers affected by the Eastern Avenue Extension through the borough of Leyton and in regard to similar major road reconstruction elsewhere that notice to treat shall be served when the approval of such schemes is made public and not left until 1151 immediately prior to the commencement of operations, and thus avoid delay involving financial hardship.
§ Mr. HayNotices to treat cannot legally be issued until a compulsory purchase order has been made incorporating the detailed land requirements. In general, compulsory purchase of land and property long in advance of road works is normally undesirable, but we shall certainly have regard to the need for starting land acquisition in very good time for schemes such as the Eastern Avenue Extension which involve displacing large numbers of residents and businesses.
§ Mr. SorensenDoes not the hon. Gentleman appreciate that a large number of my constituents are very seriously affected by the prolonged delay in the development of this road, and that the suggestion embodied in my Question comes from those who are affected? In those circumstances, will he see that their suggestion is sympathetically considered?
§ Mr. HayYes. The difficulty is partly legal, in that, as I said in my Answer, we cannot serve notices to treat till the compulsory purchase order is made. Secondly, if a particular case of hardship arises where property is virtually unsaleable because of the prospects of our roadworks requiring land, there are the provisions of Part IV of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1959, the planning blight provisions, whereby we are authorised to make earlier purchases than would otherwise be the case.