§ Lord Denningasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will amend Section 174 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 to provide that no compensation shall be payable under a tree preservation order in respect of the refusal of consent to convert woodland for agricultural use.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Belstead)The Government are aware that compensation claims of this type have caused concern in some quarters, and that an appeal has been lodged in the High Court by Canterbury City Council against a decision of the land tribunal on such a claim. Once the outcome of that appeal is known the Government will carry out any necessary review of the legislation. At this stage, however, it would be premature to consider the introduction of amending legislation.