§ 17. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to provide for compensation to owners of land which, whilst it has not been actually designated for compulsory purchase is suffering from planning blight.
§ Mr. MacCollNo, Sir. Existing legislation enables an owner-occupier of blighted land to require its purchase by a public authority in certain other cases as well as when it is designated for compulsory purchase, and it would be unwise to confer the right of compensation rather than the right to require purchase.
§ Mr. KingIs it not clear that these legislative provisions are quite insufficient and that great hardship is caused particularly to the elderly and small home owners" If the hon. Gentleman will not introduce legislation, what other remedy does he suggest?
§ Mr. MacCollAny land use planning is bound to have some blight effect, but in cases where that can be defined the matter can be dealt with by purchase notices.
§ Mr. RoseIs my hon. Friend aware that many householders in this position are unable to move house when they change jobs? Will he give loan sanction 366 to local authorities when house owners ask local authorities to purchase their houses?
§ Mr. MacCollThat goes rather beyond this Question.
§ 20. Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will give an estimate of the total value of land and buildings within Great Britain now suffering in one way or another from planning blight.
§ Mr. MacCollNo such estimate can be given, because there is no way of knowing whether or not a property is suffering from planning blight until the owner actually tries to sell it and finds that he cannot do so except at a price substantially lower than it would otherwise have been.
§ Mr. KingIf the hon. Gentleman's Ministry cannot give an estimate, will he accept my estimate? Is it not tens of millions of £s per year, and is not this causing continuing hardship?