HC Deb 24 November 1981 vol 13 c354W
Mr. Eastham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether, in reaching his decisions in relation to new shopping centres in Stockport and Bolton, he took into account the total existing vacant shopping floor space at present in the Greater Manchester county area; and what is the total amount of such floor space at present vacant;

(2) if he will reconsider the planning application for major shopping expansions in Stockport and Bolton in view of the effect of the consequential reduction in purchasing power on the inner city area of Manchester;

(3) what effect his recent decisions on the creation of new shopping centres in Stockport and Bolton will have on the agreed Greater Manchester county structure plan.

Mr. Giles Shaw

I assume that the major new shopping development in Bolton to which the hon. Member refers is at Bark Street. The decision on this was entirely that of the Bolton metropolitan borough council under procedures contained in the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1976, enabling local planning authorities to obtain deemed planning permission for development which they do not intend to carry out themselves on land in their ownership. The only way in which my right hon. Friend could now intervene would be by using his reserve powers to revoke the planning permission which now exists. I am not aware of any evidence to justify such a course.

I assume that the Stockport decision to which the hon. Member refers is the decision on a planning appeal relating to the extension of the existing Merseyway shopping centre at Warren Street. This appeal was the subject of a public local inquiry before one of my right hon. Friend's inspectors, sitting with an expert assessor. Although I have no details of current vacant shopping floor space in the Greater Manchester area, evidence was submitted at the time and considered by the inspector. My right hon. Friend accepted his conclusions and recommendation and allowed the appeal. I have no power to reconsider that decision and I do not consider that it will have any significant effect on the approved Greater Manchester county structure plan.