§ Mr. Couchmanasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now in a position to make a further announcement about the designation of an enterprise zone in part of the non-historic dockyard at Chatham.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerStatutory invitations, under schedule 32 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, have today been sent to Rochester-upon-Medway city council and Gillingham borough council to prepare jointly a scheme with a view to designation as an enterprise zone of some 24 hectares —60 acres — of development land in the non-historic dockyard at Chatham.
This invitation marks the start of the formal procedures leading to designation. I very much hope to see this zone 39W in operation by the summer. I am sure that it will prove an important incentive in attracting private sector investment to the revitalisation of the dockyard.
Copies of the press notice announcing this together with a map of the proposed enterprise zone are being placed in the Library of the House.