§ 2. Mr. Peter Millsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he gives to city councils in connection with the need to consult the relevant district council before purchasing agricultural land for development in the areas of the latter.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Guy Barnett)My right hon. Friend and his predecessors have stressed the importance of constructive working arrangements between local authorities.
§ Mr. MillsDoes the Minister realise the serious position that has developed between South Hams District 1161 Council and Plymouth City Council, namely, that the city council has bought land for building without consultation with the district council? Is not this nonsense, and will the Minister do something about it? We in the South Hams district are not prepared to see good agricultural land of grade 2 quality being used for building.
§ Mr. BarnettI am aware of the purchase of the land, but I have no knowledge of the circumstances. Any proposals for development of the land in question will need planning permission from the authority in whose area the land is situated.
§ Mr. HicksDoes the Minister acknowledge that the relationship between a large urban authority and the surrounding rural ones will always be sensitive? Does not the House have a responsibility to protect those rural authorities against possible take-overs and other such threats that occur from time to time in these circumstances?
§ Mr. BarnettI agree with the hon. Gentleman. I have already said that our advice to local authorities is that constructive working arrangements ought to exist. It would not be right for me to make a comment on this case because I do not know the details of it. However, I take the point made by the hon. Member for Devon. West (Mr. Mills) when he draws attention to the problem of agricultural land. In circular 75/76 local authorities are advised to ensure that land of a higher agricultural quality is not taken for development when land of a lower quality is available.
§ Mr. Ronald AtkinsI recognise that housing and other development must be given a certain priority, but is it not alarming that since the Second World War we have been losing about 50,000 acres of farming land a year? This is unfortunate when there is still so much derelict and waste land which could be used.
§ Mr. BarnettMy hon. Friend is quite right to draw attention to that point. In addition to the circular, I should mention that any proposal for development of 10 acres or more of agricultural land which is not in accordance with the approved development plans is referred to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for his observations.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkNo one would want the Minister to mediate between the city of Plymouth and South Hams District Council on this occasion, but to use language such as my hon. Friend the Member for Bodmin (Mr. Hicks) has used about protecting the inhabitants of these rural areas from the encroachment of the cities is going too far. Does not the Minister agree that if the people of Plymouth are to be decently housed, clearly there will have to be expansion outside the city limits?
§ Mr. BarnettIt would be wrong for me to make any comment on either local authority. It would be wrong for me to express any opinion on whatever proposal may be made, as it could be the subject of an appeal. I repeat that a local authority can purchase land in the area of another local authority, but development is dependent upon permission being granted by the local authority in whose area the land is situated.