§ 9. Mr. Chapmanasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the annual loss of agricultural land to other forms of development.
§ Mrs. FennerFor England, the average annual loss of agricultural land to other forms of development for the five-year period ending June 1984 is estimated to be 13,000 hectares, or 32,000 acres.
§ Mr. ChapmanThe answer to that identical question last year was 35,000 acres. Will my hon. Friend confirm 559 that there is a welcome trend downwards in loss of agricultural land to other developments? Will she confirm that the proportion of agricultural land last year to building and other urban developments this year—about half—is also about the same proportion as last year?
§ Mrs. FennerI confirm that the net reduction in the rate of loss of agricultural land in recent years confirms that trend. In the preceding five-year period ending 1979, the average annual loss was approximately 21,000 hectares, or 52,000 acres. About 10,000 hectares of that were known to be for urban and industrial use. During the last five-year period, about 4,000 hectares, or 10,000 acres, per annum have been lost to urban development and industrial use.
§ Sir Dudley SmithI draw my hon. Friend's attention to the fact that Warwickshire county council is hell bent on taking a large slice of superior agricultural land to develop a technology park when non-agricultural land is available for the purpose. Will my hon. Friend and her colleagues consult the Department of the Environment to ensure that such a difficulty does not arise in future?
§ Mrs. FennerI shall have to look into that matter. We are consulted at all stages in the preparation of structure and local plans and on all planning applications affecting more than 4 hectares of agricultural land that do not conform to an agreed development plan.