§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take steps to reimburse the local authority in Rochdale for all expenditure incurred by the authority on the lorry park at Queensway, Rochdale;
(2) if he will take steps to provide compensation for the residents of the Queens-way area owing to the damage done to certain properties and the general loss in value caused by the original lorry park development;
(3) why no survey was carried out in the area of the intended lorry park at Queensway before Rochdale Council was asked to make a compulsory purchase order on the land acquired;
(4) when the land survey of the intended lorry park at Queensway, Rochdale, was completed; when the details of the survey were first known to the Department; and what approaches were made by the Department to the Rochdale Council to speed up negotiations for the acquisition of land and property in the area after that report was available to the Department;
(5) why his Department has decided not to proceed with the proposed lorry park at Queensway, Rochdale; and on what date the decision was made.
§ Mr. MulleyA site at Queensway, Rochdale has been under consideration for use as a strategic lorry park since 1972. Investigations into the site, its cost in relation to potential use and possible alternatives were completed by February 1974. The decision not to proceed was taken in the light of these considerations on 7th March. Because no firm decision had ever been taken to proceed with the lorry park proposal, the council was at no time asked to make a compulsory purchase order, nor authorised to incur expenditure on behalf of the Department. I am not aware of damage or loss of value to properties in the area but these are matters for the consideration in the first instance by the local authority.