HC Deb 16 December 1998 vol 322 cc536-7W
Mr. Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers he has to override decisions made by the South West regional planning conference. [64147]

Mr. Caborn

Under the new arrangements for the preparation of regional planning guidance set out in the planning policy statement "Planning for the Communities of the Future" (Cmnd 3885), Regional Planning Conferences will have greater responsibility for determining the most sustainable way of meeting housing needs in their region. It is intended that this should be a more inclusive process, Conference will work together with the Government Office, the Regional Development Agency and other regional stakeholders to produce draft Regional Planning Guidance. Increased legitimacy and transparency of the Regional Planning Guidance will be achieved through new procedures for a public examination before an independent panel. The panel report will be taken into account by the Secretary of State in finalising the regional planning guidance.

Mr. Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has given the South West regional planning conference on the effect of the future household projections on each county in the region. [64146]

Mr. Caborn

As indicated in the policy statement, "Planning for the Communities of the Future" (Cmnd 3885) we need to provide enough housing to help meet the housing objective of offering everyone the opportunity of a decent home and so promote social cohesion, well-being and self-dependence. Achieving sustainable development means addressing economic, social and environmental objectives equally, both for present and future generations. The Government's objective is to provide sustainable solutions which will help ensure that new housing will, by its nature and location, enhance the quality of the environment. The household projections are the starting point for assessing housing requirements and local authorities will need to be realistic in the assumptions that they make about the number of households likely to form and how they should be accommodated.

Mr. Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has given the South West regional planning conference on how to meet the needs assumed by his projections for future household numbers. [64145]

Mr. Caborn

The Government's approach to offering everyone the opportunity of a decent home is set out in its response (Cmnd 4080) to the tenth report from the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee, Session 1997–98, on Housing and the policy statement "Planning for the Communities of the Future" (Cmnd 3885). In considering the broad distribution of housing within the region the South West Regional Planning Conference is also expected to have regard to the Government's policy for urban regeneration, transport and sustainable development and to the Regional Development Agency's regional economic strategy.