§ Lord VAIZEYasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are aware of the proposed plans on the Park Vista site for housing development inside the historical perimeter of the Royal Park of Greenwich, and very close to the Inigo Jones Palace and the Greenwich College complex; and whether they are prepared to use their special powers to prevent this development on land which lies within the park walls and is contained within the boundaries of a Special Conservation Area; and
Whether they are aware that the land in Park Vista, Greenwich, which in the Initial Development Plan for London 1951 is designated as open space, has been permitted to be changed to a development site, that the building plans now being proposed by the London Borough of Greenwich include alterations to the historic inner wall of the park and major changes in the outer wall on which in 1975 the Borough requested the Department for a preservation order which was not confirmed; and whether they are aware that it was by refusing to condone alterations to the wall that the Department's predecessors prevented development of this same site 100 years ago in response to public opinion led by Mr. Gladstone, the then Member for Greenwich; and
Whether in view of the expression of public concern published in a letter to The Times of 14th September 1976 on Park Vista, Greenwich, the Minister would now reconsider his decision and hold an inquiry or use his overriding powers to restore this land to the park as part of the national heritage; and
Whether they are aware of the Department of the Environment's offer in 1975 to put up one-third of the price of the land in Park Vista, Greenwich, to ensure that a part of it could be used as a recreation space: whether they are aware that this offer was not, in the event, utilised by the London Borough of Greenwich; and whether they would now consider taking advantage of this opportunity, which is unlikely to occur again, to restore the park to its 1747WA original perimeter, and purchase the whole of the site; and
How the Secretary of State for the Environment can reconcile any decision to permit or facilitate the development on the Park Vista, Greenwich, site with his responsibilities for maintenance of the Royal Parks and for the environment in general.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY of STATE, DEPARTMENT of THE ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)This land has not been part of the Royal Park since well before the Statute of 1807 which transferred the land to the predecessors of the Greenwich Hospital. There has been a long history of proposals for its development.
The Council of the London Borough of Greenwich are currently considering a proposal to develop the land at Park Vista including the alteration of part of the outer wall of Greenwich Park, in respect of which a building preservation notice was served by the Borough Council in February 1973. This was not confirmed by the then Secretary of State since he did not consider it to be of special architectural or historic interest. An application by the council for consent to make three arched openings in the inner wall of the park (which is listed) in the vicinity of Park Vista, is now before the Secretary of State for the Environment.
In 1971 the Greenwich Borough Council consulted the then Secretary of State for the Environment about proposals for the development of this site as they are required to do. He decided that the proposed development would not detrimentally affect the amenities of the Royal Park. The present Government, having reconsidered the issues, agree and do not feel justified in intervening in the Greenwich Council's proposals.
The Department of the Environment did offer to contribute a maximum of£30,000 towards the cost of acquiring the Park Vista site so that part of the land should he used as an extension to Greenwich Park, but the London Borough of Greenwich ultimately decided to acquire the whole site for sheltered housing for the elderly. Even if the opportunity for the Department to acquire this site still existed it would not be 1748WA possible to make a contribution now in view of the current restrictions on capital expenditure.