HL Deb 30 July 1957 vol 205 cc273-5

2.41 p.m.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware that Ayrshire County Council are seeking, by means of a compulsory purchase order, to acquire, for the purpose of erecting a technical college, a piece of land in the centre of Kilmarnock which has been conserved for many years by Kilmar nock Estates, the owners thereof, by arrangement with the town planning authority, namely, Kilmarnock Town Council, as an open space, notwithstanding that Kilmarnock Estates have offered to make a gift to the county council of a suitable alternative site for the erection of the new technical college and whether Her Majesty's Government consider that in these circumstances any action can now be taken which would avoid the waste of public money which would be incurred in the holding of a public inquiry into the proposed compulsory purchase order, and enable the gift of land to be accepted so that erection of the new technical college may proceed forthwith.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, SCOTTISH OFFICE (LORD STRATHCLYDE)

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are aware that Ayr County Council have made a compulsory purchase order to enable them to acquire land upon which to build a new technical college. It is also known that the owners of the land described in that order have lodged objections to the order, and that they have offered to make a gift to the County Council of an alternative piece of land on which to build the technical college. But since the County Council have not stated that they are willing to withdraw the order, and since the objections to it have not been withdrawn, the Secretary of State, as confirming authority, is obliged by the Acquisition of Land Act, 1947, to afford to the disputing parties an opportunity of being heard by a person appointed for the purpose. An inquiry is therefore to be held at Kilmarnock on September 19, 1957.

VISCOUNT ELIBANK

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his comprehensive Answer, and while understanding that in this case the public local inquiry must proceed, may I ask the noble Lord whether he is aware that, as is well known throughout the burgh, Kilmarnock Estates have been very helpful in this matter and are most anxious to see a new technical college built in Kilmarnock; and that the Scottish Department of Health, with every desire to be helpful—and I stress that point—suggested that discussions on the matter might, with advantage, take place between Kilmarnock Estates, the county council and the town planning authority—namely, Kilmarnock Town Council—but that any such discussions were rejected by the county council?

LORD STRATHCLYDE

Yes, my Lords.