§ 5. Mr. DunnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been made to him following the recent announcement of his policy towards the east Thames corridor; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Minister for Housing, Planning and Construction (Sir George Young)The proposals that my right hon. and learned Friend announced on 24 March have been broadly welcomed as both imaginative and realistic. We continue to receive representations on them from a wide range of bodies.
§ Mr. DunnMy hon. Friend will know that, along with my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold), I welcome the concept of the east Thames corridor with enthusiasm. It will involve the creation of 128,000 new dwellings and 182,000 new jobs by the year 2015. Will my hon. Friend confirm, however, that he will engage in proper consultation with local authorities at all levels, and with local communities, when the project moves into its development stage?
§ Sir George YoungA few days ago, I chaired a meeting of all the 16 local authorities involved in the east Thames corridor project. That meeting was very helpful and productive, and my officials and I now plan to hold further meetings with the local authorities—both elected councillors and officials—that are co-operating with the imaginative proposals for the corridor.
§ Mr. MackinlayI recognise the great potential of the east Thames corridor for recreation, commerce and residential use. Does the Minister appreciate, however, that the glossy documents that were produced a few weeks ago were considered cosmetic and cynical in my constituency, given the high unemployment in Kent and Essex? What new moneys will be spent to promote jobs and commercial opportunities and how will the homes be built? Does not the Minister realise that acres of planning permissions exist for residential properties? What is lacking is confidence among potential home buyers and opportunites for local authorities to build homes in which they can house families, thus reducing their waiting lists.
§ Sir George YoungConfidence is returning by the day. Private developers will be interested in developing the sites in the hon. Gentleman's constituency for both homes and jobs.
I do not recall the representative from the hon. Gentleman's local authority describing the proposals as cosmetic or cynical at the meeting that I chaired. All the local authorities that attended that meeting wanted to work with the Government in unlocking the potential of the east Thames corridor. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will reconsider his approach to the proposals: his constituents can gain real benefit from working with the Government to unlock that potential.
§ Sir Michael NeubertIs my hon. Friend aware that nowhere has the announcement of the east Thames corridor been more strongly welcomed than in the London borough of Havering, represented in Parliament by the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire), my hon. Friend the Member for Upminster (Sir N. Bonsor) and myself? Will he undertake to give every encouragement to the Havering Riverside project launched yesterday, which 947 invites private investment in what will be a key site in the Thames corridor? If there is to be an international station at Rainham, bringing Paris and Brussels within two hours' travelling time, it will also be a major gateway to Europe.
§ Sir George YoungI am heartened to hear from my hon. Friend about the proposals for further investment in the east Thames corridor. I will indeed take an interest in the scheme that he mentioned. Within the constraints applying to a planning Minister, which I am sure that he understands, I will ensure that my Department gives the planners every assistance in bringing the scheme forward.