§ Miss KirkbrideTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the area of brown land in the(a) Dudley, (b) Sandwell, (c) Birmingham, (d) Wolverhampton, (e) Solihull and (f) Walsall local authorities. [52436]
§ Mr. CabornThere is no specific definition of 'brown land', but it is usually taken to mean land previously developed for urban uses. This includes vacant previously developed and derelict land. Estimates of the amount of derelict land in each English local authority district were published in 'Survey of Derelict Land in England 1993', a copy of which is in the Library. Phase 1 of the National Land Use Database, for which I announced plans on 19 May, will provide information on previously developed vacant and derelict land, and vacant 237W buildings which may be available for development, for local authorities in England. Summary results are expected by March 1999.