§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he has established the level of vacant land areas within the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. YeoThe Department has commissioned a national sample survey of the stock of vacant land in urban areas in England. Final estimates from the survey are not yet available. The broad figure of up to 150,000 acres of vacant land given in the consultation paper, "Encouraging the use of vacant public sector land", relates to urban areas in England alone and was based on preliminary work carried out in preparation for the national survey.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact the disposal of vacant land areas will have on the green belt.
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§ Mr. Bernie GrantTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of Government grant per head of the population for 1990–91 and 1991–92 in the London boroughs of(a) Haringey, (b) Barnet and (c) Enfield.
§ Mr. KeyThe available information is as follows:
Government grants in 1990–91, consisting of revenue support grant, special grants, specific grants in aggregate external finance, community charge benefit grant and transitional relief grant, per head of relevant population are £762 in Haringey, £366 in Barnet and £475 in Enfield.
§ Mr. LathamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following the fixing of the community charge in all Leicestershire district councils, he will now update the two answers given by the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton on 4 March,Official Report, columns 47–48.
§ Mr. Key[holding answer 26 March 1991]: Following the statement on 19 March 1991 by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Official Report, vol. 188, column 180–81, £140 will be cut from the current headline community charges for 1991–92. The calculation of community charge reductions and benefits will be made after this general reduction. In addition, my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities announced on 25 March that under the community charge reduction scheme the threshold amount which charge payers are expected to meet from their own resources will be lowered from £104 to £52. The revised figures in the table show the reductions payable to couples in Charnwood, Melton and Rutland who, on 31 March 1991, are living in properties of (a) three quarters average rateable value and (b) half average rateable value for the area.
§ Mr. YeoThere is a general presumption against inappropriate development in the green belts. The Government's policy for them is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 2. Development of suitable vacant land within urban areas can help to reduce the pressure for development of green field sites.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he intends to take to ensure full public consultation takes place when land areas, currently of recreational value to local people, are indentified as unused or underused and available for disposal;
(2) what is his policy on retaining open spaces in urban areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoLand used as public open space or for recreation is not at present entered on registers and is therefore not subject to my right hon. Friend's power to 57W direct disposal. My Department's consultation paper, "Encouraging the use of vacant public sector land", noted that we envisage further public consultation on the criteria for entry on registers under any new statutory arrangement covering all public sector owners.
The issue of retaining open spaces in urban areas has been addressed in my Department's draft planning policy guidance note on sport and recreation which was issued for public consultation in October last year. In the light of the many responses received, my right hon. Friend will be considering carefully what advice should be included in the final guidance.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to enter into a partnership with local government in order to develop vacant land areas in both the public and private sector, for the benefit of and in full consultation with local people.
§ Mr. YeoThe Government have already taken various steps to encourage the bringing into use of vacant land, for example, through grant arrangements which apply to land in public or private ownership and through land registers which record public sector land. I am considering what further action is necessary.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what safeguards he is considering in order to avoid vacant land areas being disposed of at a time when land prices are very low.
§ Mr. YeoThe timing of disposal is normally a matter for the owner. A public sector owner should get a proper price for his land and my right hon. Friend would for that reason be hesitant about directing disposal when the general level of the market was depressed in the short term.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how a system of incentives for franchisees of vacant land areas will be financed; and what level of incentives budget is envisaged in the first year of operation;
(2) how defined areas of vacant public land will be established; and how large such areas are expected to be;
(3) what progress has been made with the selection of two experimental areas for the proposals outlined in the consultation paper "Encouraging the use of vacant public sector land"; and if he will make a statement;
(4) how he intends to define the terms "underused" and "unused" when identifying vacant land areas;
(5) how vacant land areas, which ought to be on new underused/unused land registers, will be identified.
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Sites which have been the subject of directions under section 98 of the Local Government Planning & Land Act 1980 Site address Owner at time of direction 1984 Barmpton Lane West, Darlington Darlington BC Barton Lane, Clifton, Nottingham Nottingham City Council Doxford Park Way, Sunderland Sunderland MBC Oozewood Road, Royton Oldham MBC 1985 Alfred Street/Oak Bank, Harpurhey Manchester City Council Boothroyden "A" site, Blackley Manchester City Council Maple Road West, Brooklands Manchester City Council Old Market Street/Grant Street, Blackley Manchester City Council Old Market Street/Lion Street/Lawson Street/Dommett Street, Blackley Manchester City Council South Street/Parkhouse Street, Openshaw Manchester City Council Colton Common, Colton, Leeds Leeds City Council Denison Street/Silver Lane, Yeadon Leeds City Council
§ Mr. YeoWe are considering in the light of responses to the consultation paper what further action might be taken to encourage the bringing into use of vacant sector land. Our conclusions will be announced in due course. Meanwhile no decisions have been taken on whether to proceed with the proposals for experimental franchises or for giving all public sector owners a statutory obligation to maintain and publicise registers. The consultation paper noted that the criteria for entry on such registers and for eligibility for directions to dispose would be the subject of further consultation.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce proposals to identify and dispose of vacant land areas in the ownership of central Government Departments; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) on 19 February,Official Report, columns 114–15. Individual Departments have been asked to maintain and publicise registers of their vacant land holdings and proposals to make this a statutory obligation were included in the Department's consultation paper.
§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce proposals to identify and dispose of vacant land areas in private sector ownership; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YeoIn the light of responses made to the Department's consultation paper our review will include the question of whether any measures are appropriate to encourage the bringing into use of vacant land in private sector ownership or whether, as implied in the consultation paper, its subjection to the normal incentives and disciplines of the market is sufficient.