§ 33. Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if in his review of the law of compensation, he will consider legislation to safeguard the interests of purchasers of new houses against estate developers who erect unsightly buildings and neglect to fulfil undertakings given on the landscaping of estates.
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineNo, Sir. Local planning authorities already possess powers to control the erection of unsightly buildings and to require by planning conditions that landscaping be carried out.
§ Mr. KinnockIs the Minister aware that the deft developer who is well aware of the planning regulations can, by prevarication, impede the work of county planning authorities, thereby causing ex- 402 cessive misery to many people, basically because of the inadequacy of the existing legislation? This difficulty is faced by both county planning authorities and new house purchasers.
§ Mr. HeseltineI believe that local authorities have adequate powers in this matter, but if the hon. Gentleman will let me have the details of any specific cases I will look at them sympathetically.
§ 34. Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in his review of the law of compensation, he will consider legislation to oblige developers of new housing estates financially to compensate residents who suffer inconvenience arising from continuing development.
§ Mr. Michael HeseltineNo, Sir. I am not aware of any need to introduce legislation along these lines.
§ Mr. KinnockIs the Minister aware, following my supplementary question on Question No. 33, that new house purchasers are the victims of profiteering house developers who are completely insulated from any representations that new purchasers may undertake? Is he aware that it would concentrate the minds of those developers on their responsibilities to purchasers if the law said that they must compensate them financially in the way suggested in the Question? The present situation is a scandal, as the hon. Gentleman must know from the cases that have arisen in his constituency.
§ Mr. HeseltineI certainly have had no representations from my constituents. But the law, as I understand it, enables local authorities to lay down conditions, and I certainly would not accept that we should do anything but praise the people who are now building new houses on such an unprecedented scale for those who need them so urgently.