§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his10W oral statement of 23 February 1998, Official Report, columns 21–31, what types of land he includes within his definition of recycled land. [49853]
§ Mr. RaynsfordAs we explained inPlanning for the Communities of the Future, which was launched by the Secretary of State on 23 February, the Government are currently setting up a National Land Use Database. This will provide a comprehensive national picture of previously developed sites including derelict land and vacant buildings, which may be available for development. We are in the final stages of drawing up the list of site types and characteristics which will be covered by that database, following which we will be commissioning local authorities to undertake the identification work.
At the same time, we also announced that we would be issuing a discussion paper on the definitions of previously developed land and the issue of regional recycling targets. This will be available shortly.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the value of suburban and urban back gardens in the context of his target of 60 per cent. of development being concentrated on recycled land. [49855]
§ Mr. RaynsfordMy Department has not made a specific evaluation of the contribution back gardens can make to the supply of previously developed urban land for housing, although it is felt that this is likely to be small by comparison to other, previously developed sites. Developments on back gardens are included in the totals in the Department's monitoring the reuse of land; however, they cannot be separately identified.