Green Belt and Town Planning (Hansard, 2 February 1965)

§ 24. Mr. Freeson
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give an assurance that he will relate the development of green belt and open sites to be re-zoned for urban development in the vicinity of Greater London to rehousing needs in specific twilight areas in need of clearance and redevelopment; and whether he will encourage by circular the local authorities concerned to negotiate purchase and, if necessary, initiate compulsory purchase procedure to meet these town planning needs.

§ Mr. Mellish
My right hon. Friend does not think it would be satisfactory to relate the development of particular sites outside London to the re-development of particular sites inside. The Greater London Council in building outside London will have to have regard to the most urgent needs, however they arise, and also to the ability of people to move to the particular site. But obviously they will bear in mind the value of clearing whole areas when that is possible.

§ 25. Mr. Freeson
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects local planning authorities to complete their reviews of green belt policy; and if he will make a statement on the extent to which he is prepared to allow encroachments into the green belt before the completion of such planning reviews.

§ Mr. Mellish
Local planning authorities were asked to see whether any small areas which are not essential to the purpose of the approved metropolitan green belt could be released for housing, and also to re-examine their proposals for extending the green belt. These reviews are bound to take time and my right hon. 259W Friend cannot say at this stage when they will be completed. He has to deal with development proposals on their merits in the light of general policy.

§ 32. Mr. Longden
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is his policy regarding the metropolitan green belt; and to what extent it differs from that of the previous administration.

§ Mr. Mellish
I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Mr. Fisher) on 8th December, 1964.

§ 42. Mr. Dean
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to announce a decision with regard to the green belt round Bristol and Bath.

§ Mr. MacColl
On the Somerset part of this proposed green belt my right hon. Friend is still in consultation with the county council about his proposed modifications. He cannot at the moment say when it will be possible to reach a final decision. The Gloucestershire part is at a more advanced stage and he will be writing to the county council shortly.

§ 53. Mr. Biggs-Davison
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what criteria have been set for the review by local planning authorities of development in the metropolitan green bent, particularly with regard to the release of green belt land for housing.

§ Mr. MacColl
I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Brentford and Chiswick (Mr. Dudley Smith) on 21st December.

§ Mr. Freeson
asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what were the planning grounds for his recent decision to allow a new village with a population of 6,000 to be built in the London Green Belt at Hartley, Kent, despite the objections of the Dartford Rural District Council and the Kent County Planning Authority, and against the recommendation of his inspector, who presided over a public inquiry following appeal by the prospective private developer against planning refusal by the local authorities.

§ Mr. Crossman
The letter giving my decision sets out my reasons for it, and I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend.