HL Deb 26 July 1961 vol 233 cc1005-7
LORD BOSSOM

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

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government if they will give consideration to: (a) preparing a binding, overall town plan for London and other cities of Great Britain which will indicate where mammoth tall structures may or may not be built: and (b) calling a conference of appropriately informed individuals to look into the desirability of limiting the construction of such great buildings to the outer reaches of our cities so as to leave the heart of our intensely built-up areas unoccupied by any new buildings above a fixed height.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (EARL JELLICOE)

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government is not in favour of rigid plans for our cities which try to lay down where tall buildings may or may not be built. Neither does he consider it right or practicable to try to impose a general limitation on the height of buildings in the heart of our built-up areas. Indeed, higher buildings can give us more room on the ground. So much depends on the details of a particular proposal for a specific site that local planning authorities must consider each proposal most carefully on its merits and in relation to its setting.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that comment, I think he is aware that a great many people are particularly worried about the large number of very big buildings being put up, much to the injury of existing monuments of which we as a nation are proud. Is there any way of giving advice to help this situation?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I am aware of the public concern, the legitimate public concern, about this matter, but my noble friend is, I am sure, aware that in many cases of the sort he has mentioned the advice of the Royal Fine Art Commission is sought; and, indeed, in the cases of the Royal Parks and Palaces, my right honourable friend the Minister of Works is also consulted. These are additional safeguards.

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, is not the trouble equally that the more tall office blocks that go up, the greater becomes the congestion of the unfortunate people travelling to and from work in these offices in the centres of our great cities?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I agree that that is a problem, and it is one which the Ministers concerned have very much under consideration.

LORD AMWELL

My Lords, may I repeat a question as a supplementary that I put a few days ago in this House? I did not receive a satisfactory reply, so far as my view was concerned, but I think it is rather an important point. I refer to the view that one gets from the middle of Waterloo Bridge over this particular 'building, the Palace of Westminster. The massive block that is going up just beyond shows right beside the Victoria Tower, dwarfing this building and making an atrocious situation, so far as town planning is concerned. Is there no way of controlling that kind of thing?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I feel that that is slightly another question, but I would remind the noble Lord that the particular building to which he refers (which many people think is rather a good building) was considered and approved by the local planning authority —in that case, the London County Council.

LORD AMWELL

It is a pity.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, I am sorry to pursue the noble Earl, but the Government are not showing full awareness. I should like to ask him to bear in mind again the implications of putting up these large buildings in heavily built-up areas, like Oxford Circus, where there is a 22-storey building (which, incidentally, cuts out my own view of St. Paul's, from the seventh floor), are to create absolute chaos at rush hours. Really this is a matter which needs much more urgent consideration than appears to have yet been given to it.

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, in answer to the noble Lord, I would only repeat that this is a matter which Ministers have under very close consideration. But I am sorry to hear that the noble Lord has been deprived of ecclesiastical fortification in this way.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, I think it is a pity that the Government have not been more clear in their advice on this particular matter. Other countries have had experience similar to this, and they have found it possible to stop the erection of taller buildings in certain places. In fact, in the City of Washington you are not allowed to build one in any case. Cannot we give more consideration to this matter of preserving the beautiful parts we have in England?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I can only repeat once again that careful consideration is given to each building on its merits. I think that one of the important things is to ensure that the tall buildings which are built are as good as possible.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that answer, but I hope he will give more consideration to this matter.