§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many homes Defence Estates was seeking permission to build on the site of the Princess Mary hospital, RAF Halton, in(a) ts evidence to the public inquiry into the Aylesbury Vale local plan, and (b) ts recent planning application to Aylesbury Vale district council; and if he will make a statement; [15707]
(2) who authorised the planning application to Aylesbury Vale district council for the Princess Mary hospital site, RAF Halton; [15710]
(3) by whom (a) his Department and (b) its agents were legally represented at the public inquiry into the Aylesbury Vale local plan; what was the cost of such legal representation; and if he will make a statement; [15712]
(4) when (a) his Department and (b) its agents decided to submit a planning application to Aylesbury Vale district council for the redevelopment of the Princess Mary hospital site, RAF Halton; [15708]
(5) when his officials last met (a) Wendover parish council, (b) Halton parish council and (c) the Wendover Society to discuss the future of the Princess Mary hospital site, RAF Halton; [15717]
(6) for what reasons Defence Estates has submitted a planning application for the site of the Princess Mary hospital, Halton, before the outcome of the public inquiry into the Aylesbury Vale local plan is known; [15714]
(7) what has been the cost to date to (a) his Department, (b) Defence Estates, (c) their agents and (d) representatives of (i) preparing and (ii) making representations to the public inquiry into the Aylesbury Vale local plan; [15711]
20W(8) if he will place in the Library a copy of the evidence about the future of RAF Halton submitted by his Department to the public inquiry into the Aylesbury Vale draft local plan; [15716]
(9) when he notified (a) Aylesbury Vale district council, (b) Halton parish council, (c) Wendover parish council and (d) Buckinghamshire county council of the decision of Defence Estates to submit a planning application for the Princess Mary hospital site, RAF Halton. [15709]
§ Dr. MoonieIt is the Ministry of Defence's normal practice to sell surplus property with the benefit of outline planning permission, or a development brief.
The original decision to submit a planning application for this site was made by the Defence Estates agency during 1997 in consultation with our planning consultants GVA Grimley.
In June 1997 a proposal for the development of up to 500 dwellings was submitted to the pre-deposit consultation for the Aylesbury Vale local plan. As part of our consultations for the current planning application discussions took place with Buckinghamshire county council concerning the traffic impact assessment and similarly consultations took place with Aylesbury Vale district council concerning the environmental statement which accompanies the application.
In evidence to the public inquiry into the Aylesbury Vale local plan, the Department suggested that the site might be suitable for at least 330 dwellings.
GVA Grimley represented MOD at the Aylesbury Vale local plan public inquiry. The direct costs of this amounted to some £67,500. The proof of evidence submitted on the Department's behalf at the public inquiry is available for public inspection at Aylesbury Vale district council.
I understand that the local plan in question is not expected to be adopted by the district council until November/December 2003. However, the Department is required under Government accounting rules to dispose of surplus sites as quickly as possible. So, Defence Estates authorised the current planning application (under the Department of Environment 18/84 procedure) for 480 dwellings, to facilitate marketing during 2002.
So far as liaison with the local community is concerned, the Officer Commanding the Administration Wing at RAF Halton has regular meetings with Halton parish council. The Wendover Society inspected the Princess Mary hospital site during the public inquiry into the Aylesbury Vale local plan in 2000.