§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many applications have been made by Lambeth Borough Council for loan sanction to purchase houses within the Brixton comprehensive development area; and how they were dealt with.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonNo applications for loan sanction have been made for this specific purpose but the council hold a block loan consent to enable them to acquire properties in the borough as a whole, as part of their seven-year housing redevelopment programme.
§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what representations have been made to him by owners and occupiers of property in the area of the Brixton comprehensive development area about the proposal to designate the area an action area under the Town and Country Planning Act 1968; and what reply he has sent.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonNone.
§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) what proposals have been made to him to designate the present Brixton comprehensive development area as an action area under the Town and Country Planning Act 1968; and what estimates he has made of the sums for which loan sanction will be required to purchase houses under the provisions of that Act which give the right to an owner-occupier to serve a purchase notice in respect of a house in an action area;
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of owner-occupied houses which 33W fall within the area of the proposed comprehensive development area for central Brixton which he has under consideration;
(3) whether the Lambeth Borough Council and the Greater London Council have now submitted to him for confirmation resolutions prescribing the central area of Brixton as a comprehensive development area; and when he intends to hold a public inquiry into the matter under the Town and Country Planning Acts.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonThe Greater London Development Plan submitted for my right hon. Friend's approval last August includes Brixton town centre as one of 56 action areas where the Greater London Council considers that comprehensive development should be carried out. The plan proposes that the London borough councils concerned will be responsible for preparing and adopting action area plans in all cases except those where the G.L.C. consider that it should itself be responsible.
In the case of the Brixton town centre, implementation will be the responsibility of the Lambeth Borough Council. They have recently prepared a scheme but this has not yet been formally submitted to my right hon. Friend. Consequently I am not in a position to make any estimates of the sums for which loan sanction will be required to purchase houses where owner-occupiers might serve a purchase notice. Neither can I make an estimate of the number of owner-occupied houses which might fall within the area of comprehensive development.
The list of proposed action areas in the Greater London Development Plan will of course be considered as part of the inquiry into that plan. When my right hon. Friend receives specific proposals for Brixton town centre, either as an amendment to the present development plan or as an action area under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1968, it will doubtless be necessary to hold a public inquiry to hear objections and representations to the proposals.
§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will give loan sanction to Lambeth Borough Council to enable that Council 34W to purchase from owner-occupiers houses which are blighted by the proposals for a comprehensive development area for central Brixton.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonMy right hon. Friend is willing to consider the issue of loan sanction where it can be shown that hardship to owner-occupiers would arise from planning blight.
§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what is his policy with regard to assistance for owner-occupiers of houses who suffer hardship and inconvenience when their houses are blighted by proposals for comprehensive development areas which are the subject of a resolution of a local authority.
§ Mr. Denis HowellLocal authorities have been asked in Circular 15/69 to deal with cases of this kind as sympathetically as possible. Loan sanction is not normally withheld for discretionary purchases in cases of hardship.