HC Deb 17 December 1980 vol 996 cc274-5
4. Mr. Marlow

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek to establish a new Regents Park in docklands.

Mr. King

It is for the proposed London Docklands development corporation and for the local authorities to consider what provision should be made for parks in the area.

Mr. Marlow

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is fitting that each generation should leave a architectural monument to the British heritage? If he were to designate a Prince of Wales park for private development within the London UDC, that would be both a tribute to his foresight and imagination and a testament to all that is best in Britain in the 1980s.

Mr. King

My hon. Friend will be aware that Royal parks are part of the Sovereign's hereditary property and managed as public parks for the Crown by the Department of the Environment. There are no Crown holdings of potential parkland in the docklands area. Of course, there is the Beckton district park, which has been supported by substantial sums of public money, and there is proximity to Grenwich Royal park as well. I know that the need for open space in this area—perhaps not on the scale that my hon. Friend's imagination suggests—is recognised in the plans and proposals for the docklands area.

Mr. Spearing

Does the Minister agree that when Beckton district park—which is at present being laid out so excellently by the London borough of Newham—is fully completed, the costs of maintaining that park should be in the hands of the borough? Is it not a fact that allowable expenses from the Secretary of State for that authority will be reduced because there is a diversion of funds to counties and provinces in general and to Northampton in particular?

Mr. King

I am not sure whether the hon. Gentleman has considered the grant distribution proposals which were put forward yesterday. However, I am sure that he will have noticed that the borough of Newham is not unfavourably treated.

Mr. Cockeram

Is it not the case that where a developer is prepared to redevelop London's moribund docklands, and has already had to face two planning inquiries, it is further bureaucracy for the Minister to institute a third planning inquiiry for the same development?

Mr. King

My hon. Friend is tempting me on to ground which comes under my right hon. Friend's quasi-judicial responsibilities, and it would be wiser if I did not trespass upon it.

Mr. Graham

Does the Minister agree that however desirable projects of this kind may be, they must take a low priority in docklands in comparison with the need for housing, roads and other elements of the infrastructure?

Mr. King

That is precisely why we have proposed, and the House has acepted in the Act, subject to the approval of the orders, the creation of an urban development corporation for London docklands. We have done this precisely because of the Government's conviction and determination to get action and improvement in an area which for far too long has been allowed to deteriorate.