§ 17. Colonel Ropnerasked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he will indicate the extent to which officials of his Department overrule local authorities in the selection of suitable sites for houses in rural areas.
§ Mr. SilkinNow that county councils are planning authorities, it rests with them to advise the Ministry of Health where there is difficulty in approving a site selected by a district council for housing. My Department is concerned only where special planning difficulties arise. Formerly, under arrangements agreed with the other Government Departments concerned in use of land, officers of my Department were responsible for ascertaining whether there was any objection to a particular site being used for housing because, for example, of its value for agriculture, mineral working or other land use.