§ 25. Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he 1813 will introduce legislation to set up a system of licensing for property development in urban areas.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerNo, Sir. Property development requires planning permission, and in London and the South East any application for offices in excess of 10,000 sq. ft. also requires an office development permit.
§ Mr. CordleDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that a licensing system would prevent the scandalous misuse of waste land and rich men's follies like Centre Point?
§ Mr. WalkerThe Government have made £80 million available to local authorities for the purchase of land for development and they have stated that in areas where the proper development of land is held up they will consider the issue of compulsory purchase orders. I have already announced that unless the problem of empty office blocks is solved within the next few months legislation will be introduced.
§ Mr. KaufmanIs the Secretary of State aware that, much as we deplore the crime of Centre Point, we are sick and tired of hon. Members on both sides of the House using Mr. Harry Hyams as a scapegoat for what is a general problem? It is not simply a problem of a couple of buildings which are in themselves a major scandal. Will the right hon. Gentleman take action to deal with the question of property speculation? If he needs any more information, I advise him to look at the centre spread of Private Eye today.
§ Mr. WalkerAny proposals I make and any legislation I introduce in connection with office development will apply not simply to one company or individual but to everybody.
§ Mr. JayWould the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that he will be sympathetic to applications for CPOs from local authorities in the case of unused buildings, whether Centre Point or others?
§ Mr. WalkerI said quite clearly in my original statement on the problem of the availability of land for housing that I would sympathetically consider any application from local authorities.