§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will require applicants for consent to demolish a listed building to submit a written statement giving reasons for demolition.
§ Mr. CroslandLocal planning authorities are required, before granting consent to demolish a listed building, to notify me, indicating the reasons which dispose them to grant the application, in accordance with paragraph 4 of Circular 61/68—of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. Accordingly they are already bound to ascertain, and satisfy themselves about, the applicant's reasons for wishing to demolish the building.
§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will remove the requirement on local planning authorities to justify with reasons a refusal of consent to demolish a listed building.
§ Mr. CroslandNo. It would be unreasonable to enable a local planning authority to refuse consent to demolish a listed building without giving its reasons for doing so.
529W
§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many listed buildings have been demolished without listed building consent following the issue of dangerous structure notices in the last three years.
§ Mr. CroslandInformation about the number of listed buildings demolished without listed building consent following the issue of dangerous structure notices is not readily available; the serving of dangerous structure notices is a matter for the local authority.