§ Viscount Cranborneasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the light of the applications invited from local authorities, he will announce which areas he intends to designate as rural areas for the purposes of section 19 of the Housing Act 1980; and on what basis his decisions have been reached.
§ Mr. StanleyThe areas which my right hon. Friend proposes to designate as rural areas are parts of the following districts: Alnwick, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Caradon, Carrick, East Devon, Eden, Kerrier, New Forest, North Cornwall, North Devon, Penwith, Purbeck, Restormel, South Hams, South Lakeland, Torridge, West Dorset and West Somerset. Each applicant authority is being notified individually of the decision reached in respect of its area.
In making these designations, particular regard has been had to the incidence of second homes in the areas concerned, but also to other factors, notably, those advanced by authorities in their applications. Within the areas considered suitable for designation we have excluded towns and other more populous localities. We have also excluded from designation areas which authorities have themselves asked to be omitted from consideration.
In addition to designating these rural areas, it will be necessary to define the designated regions for the purposes of the resale of the dwellings situated in the designated rural areas. Following the principle already established for dwellings situated in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty, these regions will consist of the remainder of the county in which the dwelling is situated.
An order defining the designated rural areas and designated regions will be laid shortly.