§ Lord SandysMy 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 successful the directions to local authorities in Circular 22/80 have been in allowing farmers to let redundant farm buildings for other uses
§ Lord SkelmersdaleMy Lords, Circular 22/80 gives advice to local authorities on how the Government expect them to handle planning applications. It asks local authorities to look sympathetically at applications for the reuse of redundant buildings, including farm buildings, by small-scale businesses. It is our understanding in general that local authorities are reponding positively to this advice. In cases where this does not appear to he so, there is of course, the right of appeal.
§ Lord SandysMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask him to advise the House whether the Development Commission is able to make grants in aid of suitable projects to CoSIRA and other bodies?
§ Lord SkelmersdaleYes, my Lords. The Development Commission has a redundant farm buildings scheme under which CoSIRA will, in worse off rural areas, provide grants of up to 35 per cent. of the cost of conversion for craft and light industrial use, but I am afraid that I must tell the House that take-up so far has been disappointing.
§ Lord John-MackieMy Lords, is the Minister aware that many of the people who come and look at these buildings have rather short-term ideas, which leaves a problem on the rating side if a farmer applies for change of use? Does the noble Lord have any ideas for some sort of short-term, rating system which would help because, from my experience of this matter, there is a lot of short-term use of these buidings?
§ Lord SkelmersdaleMy Lords, the Government would accept what the noble Lord says—that there is a certain amount of short-term use of this sort of building-but I am afraid I can give him no answer on what alleviation in the rates for these purposes we might consider. So far as I know, this is a problem which has not been considered up to now, but I certainly take the noble Lord's point.
§ Lord GisboroughMy Lords, would my noble friend give the date of the circular he mentioned? Is he aware 676 that there are still local authorities which would rather see some of these buildings fall down than that they should be converted into workshops or living space?
§ Lord SkelmersdaleMy Lords, the answer to the first part of my noble friend's supplementary is 28th November 1980. May I ask him to repeat the second part?
§ Lord GisboroughMy Lords, is he aware that there are still district councils which would rather see buildings fall down than that they should be converted into useful workshops or accommodation?
§ Lord SkelmersdaleMy Lords, I was not aware of that; and if it is true, I would regard it as most deplorable.
§ Lord LeatherlandMy Lords, would the Minister care to say the purpose to which disused cowsheds might be put? Is he aware that I frequently slept in used cowsheds in France in 1915 and that I can assure him that they are most desirable for any other purpose?
§ Lord SkelmersdaleThe Government are not responsible for the tabling of Questions, my Lords, only for answering them.
Baroness VickersMy Lords, would my noble friend be kind enough to tell me whether the farms of the Ministry of Defence and their buildings are included in this?
§ Lord SkelmersdaleI am afraid I have no idea, my Lords, but I will find out and write to my noble friend.
§ Lord GlenamaraMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that the trouble usually is the quite arbitrary refusal of planning permission by planning committees and planning boards, as in the case I referred to his department from the Lake District some time ago, in which case, I am glad to say, the Minister reversed the decision of the planning board? Would he look at this matter to see whether he could persuade planning boards to be rather more flexible in allowing planning permission for the change of use of farm buildings?
§ Lord SkelmersdaleYes, my Lords, and that is exactly the purpose of the circular we are discussing. As for the question of reversal, it is, of course, within the applicant's rights to apply to the Secretary of State, first, if the planning permission has not been decided within eight weeks and, secondly, if it is turned down.
§ Lord SandysMy Lords, would my noble friend assure the House that the Government will give further thought to publicity for the Development Commission's scheme of grants in view of the low take-up to which he referred?