§ 5. Mr. Abseasked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost per acre of the land at Cwmbran New Town outside the designated area now under consideration to accommodate a planned population of 55,000; how many houses for private sale are anticipated to be placed on this land; and at what average cost per house.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattThe proposals submitted last year by the development corporation then estimated a cost per acre to the corporation, allowing for a variety of land uses, of about £5,500. The number of privately-built dwellings for sale would be about 900. In accordance with Government policy some of the 1,400 corporation houses to be built might also be purchased in due course. It is impossible at this stage to forecast selling prices.
§ Mr. AbseIs not the Minister aware that if those figures are based upon overall costs of land a year ago, in view of the catastrophic rises that have been taking place in land prices they are today hopelessly out of date? Is it not abundantly clear that a more realistic price for the land is £10,000 an acre and that at that price private houses which are likely to be built there will cost between £15,000 and £20,000? Will the Minister explain to Monmouthshire and to me what contribution it will make to dealing with the problems of prospective unemployed steelworkers that there are to be £15,000–£20,000 houses in Cwmbran?
§ Mr. Gibson-WattThe hon. Member is introducing a number of separate issues. I accept what he says about the figures I have given him. They are based on last year's cost but they are the latest available. This year's cost would certainly be higher. As for his other points, he raised some of them in his letter to the Secretary of State, and in the answer to that letter I think that my right hon. and learned Friend dealt with the matter, particularly with the problem of steelworkers' housing.