§ 26. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Transport how many lines for future roads are held by his Department in the preparation pool; and in how many cases the local planning authorities have been asked to protect the minimum amount of land for road junctions by refusal of planning permission for building.
§ Mr. SwinglerThe information is not readily available, but there are 171 trunk road schemes in the preparation pool including improvements to existing roads. The schemes are at various stages of planning, and the extent to which local planning authorities have been asked to protect them and junctions associated with them depends in each case on the stage of planning reached.
§ Mr. DigbyIs the Minsiter of State aware that the indecision of his Ministry and the pressure which the Ministry exerts or. local authorities sterilise thousands of acres of land which are ripe for development in the meanwhile?
§ Mr. SwinglerI realise that this nap-pens and I am afraid that it is bound to happen in some cases. The hon. Gentleman will know from correspondence which he has been having with my hon. Friend and which he is now having with me about another by-pass scheme that it all depends on the stage of planning. In many cases we are not consulted by the local planning authorities and we do not give them any direction until a late stage.