§ Lord Balnielasked the Postmaster-General whether he will list the sequence of events which have delayed the provision of a new post office at Howard-gate, Welwyn Garden City; and if he will make a statement as to the progress which is now envisaged.
§ Mr. MasonThis is a complex scheme involving the provision of a post office and telephone exchange extension on a site in a main shopping area.
Our first plan was to build only a post office, but the local authority considered that this would leave the site underdeveloped. Prolonged discussions took place to reconcile Post Office and local authority requirements, and these led to agreement on the present scheme. Detailed planning of this is now well under way.
Construction is expected to start by June of next year and be completed about two years later.