§ 33. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the President of the Board of Trade why he has refused to grant an office development permit to a firm of builders in New Malden to authorise the erection by them of offices at Frimley on a building site being developed by them and required for the purpose of accommodating their office staffs close to the building work being undertaken by them.
§ Mr. DellA permit was refused because the applicants failed to satisfy the Board of Trade that it was essential for them to build new offices of the size which they proposed.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIs it not odd that the Board of Trade was not satisfied with a proposal which would have enabled the builder to keep down his costs by having his office and operations on the same spot? Is it not Government policy to encourage, as this move would, the move of offices outwards from London?
§ Mr. DellIn this case there is alternative office space in the area of Frimley. Secondly, the proposed development is larger than is required for the firm itself and its associated activities. Thirdly, we have asked the firm to put in another application for smaller premises, and this we will consider when we receive it.