HC Deb 02 April 1985 vol 76 cc514-6W
Mr. Steen

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent by his Department on derelict land grant in each of the last five years; and if he will break this down by region.

Mr. Macfarlane

Details of expenditure on derelict land reclamation in the five years 1979–80 to 1983–84 the last year for which information is available, are as follows:

Local Authority Sector
£million
Region 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
Main Programme Supporting Programme
Northern 6.54 7.14 5.26 5.31 4.99 8.75
North west 6.20 8.24 11.87 13.04 12.51 21.61
Mersyside 9.22
Yorkshire and Humberside 2.70 3.29 3.06 2.50 0.77 2.62
West Midlands 3.51 3.60 3.61 6.17 3.50 12.01
East Midlands 1.58 3.44 2.28 5.33 1.87 7.10
South West 0.40 0.68 0.33 0.34 1.1l 0.93
London 0.73 3.52 3.14 1.96 0.93 3.96
South East 0.71 0.11 0.13 0.08 0.43 0.10
Eastern 0.14
Total
Local Authority 22.37 30.02 29.68 34.73 25.61 66.44
Sector 60.34
Non-Local 0.02 0.76 1.75
Authority Sector 0.76
TOTAL 2.37 30.02 29.70 61.10 68.19

Note: Figures show outturn expenditure

Mr. Steen

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of land have been restored to constructive use in each of the last five years through derelict land grant; if he will specify the use in each case;

Acres
End use 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
Public open space 2,430 2,364 2,006 1,885 1,699
Agriculture 902 496 1,067 548 447
Residential 52 35 32 227 267
Industry and commerce 136 329 185 879 2,203
Mixed or other development 165 101 158 919 684
Totals 3,685 3,325 3,448 4,458 5,300

Information about the annual rate increases and employment created by this programme is not available, but the Government have increasingly given priority to those projects that will lead to the regeneration of derelict land for development by the private sector, particularly in urban areas.

Mr. Steen

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much private investment has been generated in each of the last five years as a result of the use of derelict land grant.

Mr. Macfarlane

Information is available only for category A schemes. Since its introduction in 1982–83, projects totalling some £68 million have been approved, with associated early private investment of over £480 million, a ratio of 1:7. Details are as follows:

and if he can estimate (a) the annual rate increase created thereby and (b) the number of jobs resulting from the restoration.

Mr. Macfarlane

In these years approval was given for the reclamation and recycling of over 20,000 acres of derelict land, for a wide number of uses, as follows:

£ million
Approved costs Private sector investment
1982–83 9 32
1983–84 26 200
1984–85 18 138
1985–86 15 110
Total 68 480

In addition, category B and non-local authority projects are increasingly leading to private sector development on the reclaimed land.