§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the local planning authorities which have more than 10 years supply of land for new housing development; [43856]
(2) if he will list the local planning authorities which do not have a five-year supply of land for new housing development. [43855]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the impact of planned new housing development on the demand for construction aggregate during the period for which total numbers of new houses have been specified. [43826]
§ Mr. RaynsfordAggregates demand forecasts undertaken to inform aggregates planning guidance issued by this Department cover all areas of demand, including housing. A forecast of demand will be undertaken during the review of this planning guidance which we intend to start later this year.
§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many dwellings could be accommodated on land already identified for new housing development in each English region. [43854]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe information requested is not held centrally by the Department, and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has issued to local authorities on how to move away from a predict and provide approach to the planning of new housing development at a regional level. [43853]
§ Mr. RaynsfordTwo pieces of guidance have been published by the Government so far. The first is the policy document, "Planning for the Communities of the Future", which was published in February. The second is an explanatory note, "Transitional Arrangements for Regional Planning Guidance and Development Plans", which was published in March.
§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the guidance in Planning Policy Guidance note 3 Housing permits local planning authorities to make an allowance for windfall sites over one hectare when preparing(a) housing land availability studies and (b) development plans. [43825]
§ Mr. RaynsfordSince "windfall" sites are unexpected, it is, by definition, difficult to predict future supply levels. The current guidance in PPG3 advises local authorities to assess the future supply of windfall sites of less than 1 hectare on the basis of past trends. The guidance advises that authorities should not make assumptions about sites over 1 hectare. Authorities should strive to identify these sites individually in consultation with developers, who will have a reasonable idea of sites likely to come forward over the plan period. To attempt to make a generalised 25W allowance for larger windfall sites in the forward assessment of land supply is likely to introduce too great an element of uncertainty in the planning process.
As was made clear in the recently published policy document, "Planning for the Communities of the Future", the Government are aware that local planning authorities differ in their approach to the assessment of the potential contribution of windfall sites. They are also aware that in some areas windfall sites can make up a large proportion of the overall land used for housing. The Government will therefore look again at the guidance in PPG3 with a view to reassessing the potential contribution of this source of housing land.
§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many houses have been completed on windfall sites of over one hectare in each region since 1991. [43824]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe information requested is not currently collected centrally by the Department and would involve disproportionate cost to compile. However, the Department's recently announced National Land-Use Database should provide the basis for compiling this sort of information in the future.
§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of new housing completed between 1991 and 1996 in each region has three or more bedrooms. [43823]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThe available figures are shown in the table.
Proportion of new houses and flats completed with three or more bedrooms Percentage of total completions Government Office Region 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 North East 63 60 59 64 67 66 Yorkshire and the Humber 60 59 57 61 63 69 East Midlands 57 61 61 63 64 70 Eastern 48 47 51 54 58 61 London 26 24 23 29 28 36 South East 44 47 47 54 59 62 South West 45 51 53 58 59 64 West Midlands 53 51 49 54 57 60 North West 62 63 58 65 63 64 Merseyside 60 64 66 68 72 67 England 49 51 51 56 57 61 Source:
"Housing and Construction Statistics 1986–1996"
§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the local planning authorities where the number of new houses constructed has exceeded that in adopted development plans in the last 10 years. [43857]
§ Mr. RaynsfordSuch information is not held centrally and would involve disproportionate cost to compile.
§ Mr. Tom KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the organisations which have been sent a copy of the statement, "Planning for the Communities of the Future: Transitional Arrangements for Regional Planning Guidance and Development Plans", issued on 1 April. [43827]
26W
§ Mr. RaynsfordA new system to assess and cascade housing provision figures was set out in "Planning for the Communities of the Future" (Command 3885). The transitional arrangements which will apply where RPG is already being revised or where development plans are being replaced or altered before Regional Planning Guidance is revised are set out in paragraphs 33 and 34 of that document. The more detailed note, issued on 1 April, was sent to the following organisations:
- The Local Government Association
- The Planning Officers Society
- Secretaries of the English Regional Associations
- The Panel of Chairmen of Examinations in Public
- Government Offices for the Regions
Copies were placed in the Library of the House of Commons. It has also been sent to individuals, local authorities and other organisations on request.