§ 34. Sir J. Vaughan-Morganasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware of the local opposition to the proposal to build an 1853 approved school at Chelsham, Surrey, in the green belt; and what steps he has taken to secure an alternative site in the South-East which would not involve building in the green belt.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Miss Alice Bacon)I understand that the Surrey County Council, which proposes to provide this school, has received objections to the proposal and that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government is arranging for a public inquiry to be held. During the past five years several possible sites have been considered but the others either did not meet requirements or ceased to be available.
§ Sir J. Vaughan-MorganSince this school is to serve London and the South-East, can the right hon. Lady say why, apparently, no steps have been taken to secure land in, for example, Kent, Sussex or Surrey, where it would not actually infringe on the green belt?
§ Miss BaconAs the right hon. Gentleman has been told by the clerk to the county council in the letter which he received, institutions standing in their own grounds can be built on land in the green belt. He will know that this is a Surrey County Council school, which is being built in the grounds of a park which already contains a hospital, and to that extent the green belt is already being used.