§ Mr. RoweTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the report of the inquiry carried out by his inspector into the motorway service area proposed for the M20 in the Maidstone area to be published.
§ Mr. ChopeThe inspector's reports on the public inquiry into planning applications in respect of two proposals for motorway service areas at Hollingbourne, and into a related draft compulsory purchase order, will be published when the decision letter on these matters is issued. We hope to make these decisions in the near future.
§ Mr. RoweTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the remit of his inspector carrying out the inquiry into the proposal for a motorway service area on the M20 in the Maidstone area has been amended to take account of the proposed route for the high-speed rail link passing through the same area.
§ Mr. ChopeNo. British Rail published its proposed route after the public inquiry into the motorway service area proposals had closed. I understand that discussions between British Rail and the Department of Transport indicate that the proposed route could be accommodated under the proposed motorway service area site and that it would not materially affect the land use planning questions considered at the inquiry.