HC Deb 11 February 1964 vol 689 cc32-3W
Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs (1) if he will state the nine points contained in the observations made by the local planning authority to his planning inspector regarding the need to preserve the beauty of Ash Green village, Trentham;

(2) if he is satisfied that the whole of the facts were before the inquiry held by his inspector into the proposed erection of another petrol station in the Ash Green village, Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent; what was the price paid for the site; what price was being asked for the same site in 1958 and 1960, respectively; what is the size of the site; how many garages there are in the village what is the distance between each garage and the proposed new petrol filling station; and if he will hold a further inquiry into how the proposals were approved;

(3) if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the information available to him, for the purpose of exercising his planning responsibilities, regarding the number of petrol filling stations within five miles and within three miles, respectively, of Ash Green village, Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, the full contents of the preamble to the petition sent to him by the residents of the village concerning the proposed building of a new petrol station, and the opinions of other petrol filling stations and the Motor Traders Association as supplied to his inspector.

Mr. Corfield

By agreement with the appellant and the local planning authority, my right hon. Friend's decision on this appeal, given in April, 1963, was reached after consideration of their written statements which they disclosed to each other, and a description of the site and its surroundings by an officer of the Department. The local planning authority's statement indicated the objections by local residents including the operators of other filling stations. In such cases where the parties to the appeal have themselves agreed to dispense with a local inquiry it is not my right hon. Friend's practice to publish the evidence on which his decision is based, but I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the decision letter. My right hon. Friend has no power to reopen an appeal once it has been determined.