§ LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGHMy 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 whether, in view of the unanimous opinion expressed in this House on January 26, and of the fact that the Devon and Exeter racecourse at Haldon has been refused permission for a touring caravan park, they will issue an appropriate directive or guidance to local planning authorities.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)No, my Lords. Her Majesty's Government welcome the idea of using racecourses for touring caravan parks, but to issue directives on the matter would be to interfere too much in the right of local authorities to run local affairs. Furthermore, the Countryside Commission and the British Tourist Authority have already invited local authorities to consider such proposals with favour.
§ LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGHWhile thanking the noble Lord for his Answer, my Lords, I cannot help wondering why, after three applications and a year's waiting, it was only at 11.30 o'clock yesterday morning that the racecourse received permission to go ahead, and for 30 sites only. Why, after support from the Countryside Commission, the B.T.A. and many other organisations, are 13 out of the 18 racecourse applications still 1252 outstanding? Is there any "anti-private enterprise" feeling behind it?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I am certainly not aware of that; in fact I hope that rather the reverse is true. There are a number of important, detailed planning considerations to be taken into account in all these cases. The noble Lord will know that in the case of the racecourse referred to in his Question one of the problems which had to be overcome was the question of access to a trunk road. I am sure that this movement deserves encouragement, but I am equally sure that each particular case has to be judged and considered carefully on its merits.
§ THE EARL OF CROMARTIEMy Lords, in view of the fact, brought out in the last debate we had on this subject, that many parts of England, Wales and Scotland are being entirely ruined by the spread of caravan parks, would not the Minister agree that it would be valuable to give some encouragement—even if not in the form of a directive—that local authorities should look very carefully into the use of caravan parks on racecourses? Secondly, would the Minister be kind enough to let me know what has so far been done in the way of acquiring, or attempting to acquire, sites for caravan sites?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I am satisfied that encouragement is being given, as I said, from the Countryside Commission, the British Tourist Board and our own Department. So far as I know, there is no question of acquisition in any of these cases; it is a matter of planning application in the first instance, and then site licences to run the caravan sites on certain selected racecourses. As most noble Lords will know from our debate of a few days ago, there are about 11 courses under active consideration at this moment.
§ LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGHWhile thanking the noble Lord for his Answer, my Lords, I cannot help wondering why, after three applications and a year's waiting, it was only at 11.30 o'clock yesterday morning that the racecourse received permission to go ahead, and for 30 sites only. Why, after support from the Countryside Commission, the B.T.A. and many other organisations, are 13 out of the 18 racecourse applications still LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGH: My Lords, I hope the noble Lord realises that what I am particularly worried about is that something should be done before the height of the coming summer season, so that we may avoid a repetition of the crisis that we had in South Devon in regard to this matter.
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, yes, I recognise that.