HL Deb 28 February 1963 vol 247 cc187-9

3.8 p.m.

LORD BOSSOM

I beg leave 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 concerned at the continuous and progressive destruction now taking place throughout the country of the buildings and localities of character and charm that have attracted visitors from abroad and given pleasure to British people for a great many years; and, if they are concerned, whether they will take some constructive action to stop its continuance.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (LORD HASTINGS)

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are continuously engaged in co-operation with local authorities throughout the country and with interested national and local societies in seeking to preserve the best buildings of the past. Redevelopment to meet the needs of the present day is necessary and some changes are inevitable even in localities of special character. My right honourable friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government is most anxious that the redevelopment of our town centres should be planned with full regard to areas of particular character. He gave some advice to local planning authorities on this problem in his Planning Bulletin No. 1 issued last July. He is also preparing a circular about the general question of proposed development near to buildings of special architectural or historic interest, and hopes to be able to issue this in the near future.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer. Is it not a fact that, although these efforts are being made, the results are very meagre and we must look for more than this if we are going to expect to keep the charm and character of our land, of which we are very proud.

LORD HASTINGS

My Lords, I do not think that is a matter of fact; I think that is a matter of opinion.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, the national opinion is pretty general. I will admit there are people with other ideas, but I am sure that if the noble Lord will investigate the correspondence we have sent to him he will find that a great amount of opinion does not agree with his view.

EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGH

My Lords, could the Minister say how far the policy he has just enunciated is affecting the price of land, which is growing tremendously, both in respect of city centres and in such matters as pulling down old and historic buildings and getting a very high price for the developer?

LORD HASTINGS

My Lords. I think that really forms the basis of an entirely new Question. But, very briefly, I would say that the effect on the price of land so far as historic buildings are concerned is negligible.

VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDS

My Lords, will the noble Lord agree that the inland waterways system of this country is an object entirely within the area of this Question, and that it contains a great many structures and buildings of architectural value which should also be looked at with a view to their preservation?

LORD HASTINGS

My Lords, I think this also is another Question.

LORD FARINGDON

My Lords, I wonder whether the noble Lord would not agree that in actual fact the major difficulty of the planning authorities throughout this country arises from the fact that they may at any time, and indeed constantly do, find themselves served with purchase orders or, alternatively, demands for compensation when they try to preserve our architectural monuments?

LORD HASTINGS

My Lords, that in fact is not true. There is a statutory list of buildings which cannot be either demolished or substantially altered; there are over 80,000 such buildings. The local authority can put preservation orders on those buildings, and the Minister also has to be informed. Planning authorities can refuse planning permission in those cases, so far as I know, without compensation.

LORD FARINGDON

My Lords, the noble Lord is not aware, I gather, that in actual fact the demolition of buildings on the supplementary list can take place without any permission at all. That really is so. Would the noble Lord kindly refer back to his advisers, who I think will tell him that, in fact, if a local authority try to put on a building preservation order, frequently, if not always, they will find themselves faced with a purchase order.

LORD HASTINGS

The supplementary list is something quite different. But there is a statutory list of over 80,000 buildings.

LORD BOSSOM

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for the study that he has given to this subject. May I express the hope that the obvious spirit and sympathy that he has with my point of view in regard to this sort of thing will be carried forward by his Minister?