§ 2.43 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy 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 what representations they have received urging the preparation of advance industrial sites (rather than advance factories) in development areas, and the advance identification of sites which would qualify for outline planning permission and are suited to industrial development, when county maps and structure plans are prepared.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)My Lords, some suggestions 1670 of this kind have been made. The Government in general encourage the identification of industrial sites in advance of need as part of the process of normal sound development planning. Servicing of such sites once zoned is a matter for judgment in each case in the light of the prospects of early development.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply, may I ask him to consider drawing the attention of his Scottish and Welsh colleagues to the import of this matter inasmuch as the preservation of our coastline, on the one hand, and the encouragement of industry of to-morrow, on the other, may best be facilitated by such advance planning, the need for which he is well aware?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, we have every reason to believe that both the Scottish and Welsh Offices are aware of that and we are aware of one of the representations that my noble friend mentioned having been received by the Scottish Office.
§ LORD WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, does not this Question really raise the whole problem of planning? Does it not indicate the impossibility of dealing with industry in this country and the different areas in which we want to have expansion taking place without a properly conceived national plan?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I think the greater need is for regional studies, sub-regional studies and structure planning from which this zoning and then planning permission for particular local developments all flow.
§ LORD WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, would not the noble Lord agree that much of the industrial development that has taken place in the areas in which expansion is required has come from industries which are of the second grade and never from industries of the first grade, and that consequently we have never had proper development areas?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I do not think I would agree with that observation. If the noble Lord desires to discuss this particular topic more thoroughly, he may agree that a debate on an Unstarred Question would be a preferable way of proceeding.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, would my noble friend accept that his Answer will lend encouragement to those of us who want to see the most intelligent and far-reaching planning consistent with freedom and that I personally welcome the line in the reply which he has been good enough to give me?