§ 91. Mr. W. S. Morrisonasked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether, in view of the consultations between himself and the Minister of Fuel and Power regarding the working of opencast coal on the Wentworth Woodhouse Estate beyond that agreed upon by their respective predecessors, he is satisfied that no permanent damage to the beauty of the park and gardens is likely to result from the workings now being undertaken there.
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§ Mr. Silkin:Yes, Sir. The decision of the late Government to permit opencast working on this estate related to a more limited area than is now to be worked; but in view of the increasing gravity of the coal situation, I agreed with the Minister of Fuel and Power to extend the area. In fixing the limits of this extended working, however, we drew a clear distinction between areas in which the damage would be temporary and could be remedied without serious impairment within five years, and those in which the damage would be permanent, or could only be remedied after a long period; and working will be confined to the former areas alone. While there will undoubtedly be great temporary disfigurement, I am satisfied that when within a period of five years the working is over and restoration is completed, as it will be, the general character and beauty of the park and gardens will be substantially unaffected.