§ Mr. Ronald Bellasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the opposition which has been expressed to him by the Buckinghamshire County Council, the Eton Rural District Council and the Datchet Parish Council against the proposal to site two service areas on M.4 near the village of Datchet, he will 108W order a public local inquiry into the proposal.
§ Mr. MarplesNo. There is an agreed procedure for consultation between Government Departments and local planning authorities on matters of this sort. This is set out in Circular 100 issued by the Ministry of Town and Country Planning in 1950. In accordance with that procedure I have formally notified Buckinghamshire County Council that I propose to designate a site for a motorway service area on the Slough Bypass near Datchet. I now await their reply. The County Council will presumably take account of the views of the other local authorities concerned. If the council have substantial objections which I am unable to meet, I have to refer the case to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government for our two Departments to discuss with the local authority "whether anything can be done to meet the authority's point of view". It is far too early to say what the outcome may be.