§ Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs what schemes for the clearance of derelict sites have been agreed on within the City of Stoke-on-Trent; which are being worked on at present; and if he will give corresponding information for North Staffordshire.
§ Mr. CorfieldThe authorities concerned with these areas have informed me that the following schemes for clearing derelict sites have been started or agreed in principle. In some cases work 209W is being carried out by the National Coal Board.
210W
STOKE-ON-TRENT Scheme Work started on site or agreed in principle Levelling of spoil heaps at Berryhill for school and playing fields. 9 acres Started Clearance of spoil heaps and adjacent area at Biddulph Road, Chell, for housing and public open space. 8 acres Started Filling of marl holes at Fenpark Road, Fenton (North side) for public open space. 20 acres Started Filling of marl holes at Fenpark Road, Fenton (south side) for public open space. 14 acres Started Tipping at marl hole at Wilson Road, Hanford for public open space. 10 acres Started Removal of ash mound at Clough Street, Hanley for industrial estate. 13 acres Started Levelling of open land at Sprink Bank Road, Chell Heath for recreation and sports use. 24 acres Agreed Levelling of spoil heap and adjacent land at Anchor Road, Longton for sports arena. 5 acres Agreed Levelling and filling of land at Tides-well Street, Sandford Hill for public open space and school playing fields. 8 acres Agreed NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE Reshaping of and planting on old tips and slag heaps at Birchenwood Colliery, Kidsgrove Urban District to improve appearance. 112 acres Started Reshaping of and planting on spoil heaps at Goldenhill Bank, Kids-grove Urban District to improve appearance 17 acres Started Refuse tipping at Upper Marlhole, Crackley, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough, for industrial use. 3.5 acres Started Refuse tipping at Lower Marlhole, Crackley, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough, for industrial use. 5.24 acres Started Removal of tip at Holditch, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough, for colliery sidings. 14.62 acres Started Demolition of buildings and filling at Boulton's Marlhole, Porthill, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough, for addition to colliery. 14.33 acres Started Clearance of derelict areas at Wolstanton Colliery, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough, for reorganisation of colliery, including provision of new buildings, sidings, playing fields; and amenity planting. 50 acres Started
Scheme Work started on site or agreed in principle Levelling at Bogs Lane, Biddulph Urban District, for public open space 9.5 acres Agreed Landscaping scheme for surface buildings and tips at Victoria Colliery, Biddulph Urban District Agreed Landscaping of old quarry near Cheadle Town Centre, Cheadle Rural District, to improve appearance 3.5 acres Agreed Landscaping scheme for surface buildings and tip at Foxfield Colliery, Cheadle Rural District. Agreed Landscaping and general rehabilitation scheme at Bathpool Park, Kidsgrove Urban District, for public open space. 100 acres Agreed Tipping at Steventons Marlhole, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough, for agricultural use. 37 acres Agreed Tree planting at Watermills Colliery, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough to improve appearance. 61.72 acres Agreed Landscaping of and planting on tips and other land at Leycett Colliery, Newcastle-under-Lyme Urban District 60 acres Agreed
§ Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) what financial incentive he is offering to the City of Stoke-on-Trent and to North Staffordshire in order to expedite the clearance of derelict sites;
(2) if he will ask all local authorities within a six-miles radius of the City of Stoke-on-Trent to carry out a survey of derelict sites and submit schemes for clearance to be carried out within a given time or have a survey made by his department where that is required; what rate of grant is made for each site cleared; and upon what basis such grants are determined.
§ Mr. CorfieldLocal planning authorities were asked in Circular No. 9/55 to survey derelict land in their areas and to indicate in their reviews of development plans the total amount of such land and the acreages which they expected to reclaim during the first five years of the plan's operation and during the remaining period of the plan. Reviews of the development plans for Stoke-on-Trent 211W and North Staffordshire are being prepared, and in these circumstances there is no need for a special survey. The initiative for carrying out clearance schemes is a matter for the local authorities.
With regard to Exchequer assistance, expenditure on schemes of reclamation is taken into account where this is appropriate in fixing the national total of general grants. It will also attract rate deficiency grant where this is paid to the authority concerned. There is no specific grant for site clearance in these areas with the exception of grant that may be payable under the provisions of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949, for schemes undertaken in that part of North Staffordshire falling within the Peak District National Park.