§ Mr. Terlezkiasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider strengthening the present laws against the demolition of listed buildings; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe question of penalties for offences against listed buildings is kept under review within my Department. In particular the Government are considering, when a suitable opportunity occurs, the introduction of legislation creating a separate offence for the unlawful total demolition of a listed building. If my hon. Friend has any specific proposals in this field I would be happy to consider them.
§ Mr. Terlezkiasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many listed buildings there are in England; how many listed buildings have had that status withdrawn in the last five years; and what have been the main reasons for removing this status.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneOn the latest date for which figures are available, 31 December 1983, there were 308,465 listed buildings in England. In the five years from 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1983, there were 392 deletions from the statutory lists.
Buildings are removed from the statutory lists because:
- (a) they have lost their qualifying features through, for example, fire, alteration, or irreparable dereliction, or
- (b) their architectural or historic merits prove to have been misjudged, or
- (c) they have been listed in error.
§ Mr. Terlezkiasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many listed buildings have been demolished in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe following table shows the consents given for the total demolition of listed buildings in England in the last five calendar years.
Consents for total demolition, 1979 to 1983 Year Numbers 1979 372 1980 268 1981 148 1982 161 1983 172