§ Mr. Fosterasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many advance nursery factory units have been (a) approved, and (b) constructed in the Northern region since 1974 (i) under the English Industrial Estates Corporation, (ii) under the local authorities, and (iii) under the new town development corporation.
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§ Mr. David MitchellSince 1974, the English Estates Corporation has been authorised to construct 300 terraced units in 93 blocks, the majority in the past 2½ years. So far, 142 units in 37 blocks have been completed. A further 13,000m2 of terraced units has also been approved, for which the size and number of individual units is still to be determined.
Local authorities and new town development corporations are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES GRANTED AND REFUSED IN THE WEST MIDLANDS AND IN THE DUDLEY AND SANDWELL TRAVEL-TO-WORK AREA Year Number of approvals Area ('000 square feet) Estimated additional employment West midlands … 1975 … … … 277 6,415 5,690 1976 … … … 281 9,958 11,880 1977 … … … 232 9,211 1,020 1978 … … … 261 8,447 10,430 January-March 1979 … 87 1,970 3,970 Total … … 1,138 36,001 32,990 Dudley and sandwell travel-to-work area. 1975 … … … 45 664 720 1976 … … … 48 1,145 890 1977 … … … 31 845 2,070 1978 … … … 26 607 720 January-March 1979 … 16 274 240 Total … … 166 3,535 4,640
Year Number of refusals Area ('000 square feet) Estimated additional employment West Midlands … 1975 … … … 6 316 660 1976 to date … … — — — (see Note 5) Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area. 1975 to date … … — — — Notes: 1. Industrial development certificates are not required in development areas or special development areas. These include most of Scotland and Wales, the whole of the Northern Region, parts of the South-West, the North-West and the Yorkshire and Humberside Regions. 2. Exemption limits were altered in December 1970, July 1972, September 1974 and May 1976. 3. Buildings which have been converted for industrial use are also included in the table. 4. The figures for the estimated additional employment are the applicants' estimates of the employment expected to arise when projects are complete and fully manned. 5. One IDC was refused in the West Midlands in 1977, but an IDC was subsequently granted in1978 subject to certain conditions.