§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what criteria he selected land to replace land lost in Leyton at the Eastway sports centre due to the proposed M11 link road; what assessment he made of the benefits for Leyton residents; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AtkinsMy right hon. Friend is required to apply the same criteria in all cases when selecting exchange land for public open space proposed to be taken for trunk road schemes. The land must generally be not less in area than the open space to be acquired and it must be equally advantageous to the public. Lee Valley regional park authority has accepted the exchange land offered as a suitable replacement for Eastway sports centre. The centre provides facilities for the public from a wide area well beyond the immediate locality of Leyton and Hackney. The area of land to be taken is relatively small and in our 833W view will result in no significant loss of amenity for users of the centre. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has been consulted about the suitability of the exchange land and is considering whether to issue a notice of intention to grant a certificate under section 19 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981. If he does, the notice will invite interested persons to make objections to, or representations about, the proposals. Any unresolved objection would be likely to be heard at the public local inquiry into the draft compulsory purchase order for the road scheme arranged to start in Leyton on 12 September.