HC Deb 30 July 1959 vol 610 cc154-5W
Mr. Fisher

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will issue a circular to local authorities suggesting that they should act, with regard to compensation for land compulsorily acquired, in the spirit of recent legislation upon this subject.

Mr. H. Brooke

I shall shortly be issuing a circular drawing the attention of local authorities to the Town and Country Planning Act, 1959, and giving them advice on a number of points in connection with it, with a view to helping them to carry out the intentions of Parliament. I will send my hon. Friend a copy.

Mr. John Eden

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware that the Huntingdon Borough Council, having acquired certain land by compulsory purchase order in 1956 as an overspill area, are now offering that land for sale for private development; when he gave his permission for this transaction; and to what extent he made it a condition that the land should first have been offered back to its original owner at a price comparable to that which was paid at the time of acquisition.

Mr. Fisher

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he is aware that the Huntingdon Council propose to sell at a profit land compulsorily acquired for housing purposes and not used for those purposes; and whether, in the circumstances, he will withhold his consent to this sale.

Mr. H. Brooke

I believe that the council have been considering proposals to sell land which they compulsorily acquired for town development purposes but my permission has not yet been sought for any such transaction.

Mr. John Eden

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs which local authorities who have acquired land by a compulsory purchase order for a specific purpose, but who have subsequently decided not to proceed as originally planned, have applied to him for permission to sell the land at current market prices; and on how many occasions he made it a condition that the land should first be offered back to its original owner at a price comparable to that which was paid at the moment of compulsory purchase.

Mr. H. Brooke

I am afraid that the information asked for in the first part of the Question could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour. Next month however I shall be sending to local authorities a circular on the new Town and Country Planning Act, which will refer amongst other things to the disposal of land surplus to requirements, and I will send my hon. Friend a copy.