§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for Trade and industry whether he will direct the English Industrial Estates Corporation to use existing vacant or dormant industrial land rather than greenfield sites for development.
§ Mr. TrippierNo. EIEC is subject to normal planning constraints and can thus only build on land that has been designated for industrial or commercial development by the appropriate planning authorities.
§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many square feet of industrial and commercial development have been built (a) on greenfield sites and (b) in the inner cities in the last three years by the English Industrial Estates Corporation; how many have been let and how many remain vacant; and how many, and what, projects are in the pipeline in (a) greenfield and (b) inner city sites.
§ Mr. TrippierI regret that I am unable to provide this information, since the Department of Trade and Industry no longer maintains records of this kind. However, the490W English Industrial Estates Corporation only obtains greenfield sites where planning permission by the relevant local body has already been granted for commercial or industrial development. I have asked the chairman of EIEC to write to the hon. Member.