§ 8. Mr. Moyleasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government why the amenity area of Blackheath, S.E.3, was not included in the list of those towns and cities which are to be the subjects of pilot studies, with a view to resolving the best way of combining preservation of existing amenities and architecture with future development.
§ Mr. CrossmanThe five towns that have been chosen are in my view more suitable for this purpose than Blackheath.
§ Mr. MoyleDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that the towns selected are very similar to each other, being rather small semi-rural districts? Is he aware that not one of them is an amenity area 363 within a large urban conurbation? Would not the studies be strengthened by the addition of such an area?
§ Mr. CrossmanI think that the great city of York would be rather upset by my hon. Friend's description of it. I selected these towns carefully, grading them down in size from York to King's Lynn and Chichester. I do not think that Blackheath would be suitable, since only one row of houses on the edge of the heath could possibly be classified as worthy of consideration.