HL Deb 08 June 1971 vol 320 cc4-6
LORD BESWICK

My Lords, 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 how many houses are proposed to be built by the local housing authority on Hounslow Heath; whether the site comes within the 55 N.N.I. noise boundary of Heathrow Airport; and to what extent the new housing development comes within Her Majesty's Government's policy of reducing the noise nuisance at Heathrow Airport.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT FOR 'THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)

My Lords, I understand that the Greater London Council's proposal is that some 2,000 dwellings should be built on Hounslow Heath. All but the North-East corner of the site is outside the 55 N.N.I. noise contour. The Council's planning application involves a substantial departure from the development plan, and they have just referred it to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment so that he can decide whether to call it in for his own decision. I cannot therefore comment on the merits of the application, but I can confirm that aircraft noise is one of the factors which my right honourable friend will take into account.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I am very grateful for what the noble Lord has been able to tell us. I am glad to hear that the application may possibly be called in by his right honourable friend. Would not the noble Lord accept that it makes a nonsense of a good deal of the agitation about the noise around London Airport if a local authority is allowed to go ahead and build (as I understand it) 2,400 new houses within an area most of which is defined as being unacceptable from a noise point of view?

LORD SANDFORD

As I think I said, my Lords, that decision has not yet been taken, and I cannot comment on it further.

LORD INGLEWOOD

My Lords, apart from the noise factor, may I ask whether the 2,400 houses are going to occupy a substantial part of the available open space in that area, and whether that open space has any amenity value for the local inhabitants?

LORD SANDFORD

My Lords, the exact proportion of the total space that will be allocated to public open space—that is, the exact proportion of the area covered by the planning application—I cannot say, but a substantial amount will remain as open space. In this problem we have to balance at least three considerations: the need for open space, the desperate need for housing within the Greater London Area and the harmful effect of aircraft noise.