§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he will take to prevent the fragmentation of farmland into non-viable units following the granting of planning permission for an agricultural dwelling.
§ Mr. AtkinsI am considering currently the whole subject of planning permission for agricultural dwellings in the light of the responses to the draft planning policy guidance note "The Countryside and the Rural Economy" which we issued for consultation last winter.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish new guidelines on the planning control of agricultural dwellings.
§ Mr. AtkinsOn 5 October we issued a consultation paper on possible changes to planning controls over agricultural buildings other than dwellings. We shall want to consider the responses to that consultation before issuing a revised version of the planning policy guidance note "The Countryside and the Rural Economy"—PPG7—early next year. That note will also contain guidance on agricultural dwellings.