§ 12. Mr. Mayhewasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs, if he will schedule Woolwich as an area for substantial office development.
§ The Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (Sir Keith Joseph)I am considering the general question of office centres to relieve central London, and I have informed the Borough Council that I will bear in mind its view that Woolwich would be suitable as one of the choices.
§ Mr. MayhewWill the Minister bear in mind that Woolwich is ideally suited for this kind of development and that there is an urgent need for more people to workin the borough instead of crowding the trains into central London? Why does he encourage office building in places like Croydon and not in Woolwich?
§ Sir K. JosephThe places mentioned in the White Paper were given only as examples. I must continue discussions with the planning authorities before coming to any further decisions which can be taken only in the light of the South-East study as a whole.
§ Mr. BellengerDid not the Minister yesterday give the House the impression that the Woolwich Arsenal site was one of the few available sites in London on which he proposed to build houses?
§ Sir K. JosephThat is of interest to Woolwich, but it is not related to the Question.