§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Transport why he considers that a picnic site rest area and parking facilities are required at the intersection of Fornham Road and the A45 Northgate interchange, Bury St. Edmunds; and why he did not allow this area to be used for new road-related facilities such as a lorry park, motel or petrol station.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeDevelopment of the site to provide facilities for travellers will help to meet the need for roadside facilities for long-distance commercial traffic on the improved A45, and reduce the number of heavy vehicles entering Bury St. Edmunds. The private development now planned will include a lorry park, a restaurant and overnight accommodation.
§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he had with the (a) St. Edmundsbury district council, (b) local chambers of commerce, (c) freight transport organisations and (d) other representative bodies of road users about the use of land in his possession between Fornham Road and the A45 Northgate interchange, Bury St. Edmunds; on what dates these consultations took place and who represented him on each occasion; and what views were expressed to his representatives about possible ways of redeveloping the land concerned.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeConsultations with St. Edmundsbury district council have taken place over an extended period, first to obtain planning clearance for the proposed development of the site by my Department and Suffolk county council; and then on the planning application for private development. The consultations were undertaken by the Department's regional controller. Apart from Suffolk county council no other bodies have been specifically consulted, and no other suggestions on how the land should be redeveloped have been put to us. Wider formal consultation would merely have delayed further the sale and development of the site.