HC Deb 27 February 2004 vol 418 cc634-5W
Dr. Evan Harris

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for how long he has been considering the planning application (SUN/2963/11 or GOSE/103/3/VALE/29) for residential development on the Foxcombe Road site of the old Warnborough College on Boars Hill, near Oxford; and when he plans to make a decision. [156054]

Keith Hill

Planning application SUN/2963/11 was first referred to my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister for consideration on 13 December 2000. The application was called in for my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's own determination on 19 February 2001 and, following a public inquiry, was refused on 13 November 2001, against the Inspector's recommendation. The decision was successfully challenged in the High Court but the application was again refused on 12 March 2003. That decision has again been successfully challenged and the application now falls to be re-determined a second time. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister attaches great importance to preserving the openness of the Green Belt, and has asked for any further representations the parties may wish to make by the closing date of 27 February 2004. A decision will be made as soon as possible.

Dr. Evan Harris

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reasons he submitted to judgment in the High Court the planning application (SUN/2963/11 or GOSE/103/3/VALE/29) for residential development on the Foxcombe Road site of the old Warnborough College on Boars Hill, near Oxford in(a) April 2002 and (b) September 2003. [156055]

Keith Hill

The main reason my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister submitted to judgment in each case was(a) My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister attached too much weight to the extant planning permission for residential conversion of the existing buildings, whereas the applicants had stated that, if the current application were refused, they would not implement the permission and would sell the site to an institutional user; and (b) My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister failed to take into account a material consideration, namely the relative effects of a more than 'low-key' institutional use of the site.

Dr. Evan Harris

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the cost of the time(a) his officials and (b) officials of the Government office for the South East spent on dealing with the planning application (SUN/2963/11 or GOSE/103/3/VALE/29) for residential development on the Foxcombe Road site of the old Warnborough College on Boars Hill, near Oxford. [156056]

Keith Hill

This has been a complex and long-running case. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister attaches great importance to the Green Belt policy. No estimate has been made of the cost of the time spent by his officials on dealing with the planning application.

Dr. Evan Harris

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what targets he has set for the time taken to reconsider planning applications after a decision he has taken is legally challenged successfully. [156053]

Keith Hill

No targets have been set for the time taken to re-determine a planning application following a successful legal challenge, although the aim is to re-determine all cases as soon as possible. However, for the re-determination of called-in applications, we would aim to issue a decision within 13 weeks from the conclusion of the written representations procedure or receipt of the Inspector's report if it has been decided to re-open the inquiry.