HC Deb 09 December 1965 vol 722 cc601-3
Q5. Mr. Deedes

asked the Prime Minister what response he has sent to the memorandum presented to him by the residents of Hartley and Ash in Kent on the proposal to develop a model village there.

Q7. Mr. Onslow

asked the Prime Minister what representations he has received from residents of Hartley and Ash, Kent, against the proposed building development in that area; and what reply he has made.

The Prime Minister

My office acknowledged receipt of the petition from the Hartley and Ash Rural Preservation Committee, and I asked my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government to write to the petitioners.

Mr. Deedes

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware what a strange decision this was? In view of the confusion caused to authorities who are trying to maintain the Government's green belt policy, will he state on what principle the decision, against which this protest was made, was reached?

The Prime Minister

I know that this has caused concern. It was a difficult problem either way, but this has been already the subject of voluminous correspondence to my right hon. Friend. There were eight Parliamentary Questions which were fully answered by my right hon. Friend and I should have thought that by this time he has fully explained the reasons for his decision.

Mr. Onslow

Is the Prime Minister aware that the very fact that these questions continue to be asked shows that this matter has not been disposed of and that there is great disquiet in the area about certain aspects of this decision? Will he give personal attention to the need for further investigation?

The Prime Minister

I have been into this already with my right hon. Friend, and my right hon. Friend has explained in the House and in correspondence that we all recognise that this part of Kent has seen a much bigger population increase in the past few years than any other and that the siting of extra houses there has been unplanned, unco-ordinated and not in the best interests of planning. What my right hon. Friend is trying to do is to keep old villages unspoiled and to encourage the concentration of new buildings into model communities. I agree that these questions will continue but my right hon. Friend, I believe, has taken the right decision and has explained his reasons.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Is the Prime Minister aware that this decision is completely contrary to the general line of planning decisions, in putting on land proposed for green belt a community with no work to hand and adding a heavy load to already overloaded commuter communications? Does not the right hon.

Gentleman agree that this is such an odd decision that it calls for investigation into how it came to be made?

The Prime Minister

I know that the right hon. Gentleman thinks this, and he had an exchange with my right hon. Friend when he put down a Question only about 10 days ago. My right hon. Friend gave him an answer which I fully support.

Mr. Deedes

I beg to give notice that, in view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.