HL Deb 30 October 1989 vol 512 cc4-5

2.52 p.m.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will bring forward legislation to prevent local authorities from blighting privately owned property without previously consulting or informing the owner.

Lord Reay

My Lords, the procedures under town and country planning and other legislation for approving development projects already require affected landowners and the general public to be informed.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that I am surprised by that Answer? I recently had personal experience of a local authority which has decided to protect a line along private properties without consulting or informing the owners involved. Is it not unacceptable that people should suddenly find when they want to sell their houses that the search shows that their houses are blighted? I sincerely hope that the noble Lord will have another look at the problem, because I rather think that he is misinformed about the whole matter.

Lord Reay

My Lords, I cannot now go into the details of an individual case, but if the noble Lord cares to send me further details I can assure him that we shall look into the matter.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey

My Lords, if the noble Lord is looking into the matter, will he also look into the possibilities of breaches of the principle by central government? Is he aware that in my part of north London many properties were blighted for 15 months by the threatened Parkland Walk motorway which was announced merely on the results of consultants' preliminary studies rather than as a result of any notification to local residents?

Lord Reay

My Lords, that is another case, and if the noble Lord sends me details of it I shall see that it is looked into. In general terms, we believe that town and country planning legislation provides adequately for consultation with affected land owners.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that if a private developer has designs on the property of a private individual or a corporate owner of the property, not only has he but the local authority also has to inform the owner of that land? The same is not true in the case of local authorities. Since we have a Government which believes in individual freedom and a property-owning democracy, ought we not to have equity between the public and the private sector?

Lord Reay

My Lords, statutory development plans, which include both structure plans issued by the county council and local or unitary development plans issued by district or borough councils, must be advertised in local newspapers and the London Gazette. They are normally given other publicity as well. There is no specific requirement to inform affected property owners individually. However, as regards planning applications, property owners must be notified when these relate to their land. They then have the right to make representations which the authority must take into consideration.