HC Deb 24 July 1991 vol 195 cc661-2W
Mr. Dunn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the number of inquiries held in each of the last five years to determine planning applications for use of leisure plots created within green belt zoning; how many inquiries reported in favour of the local authority; and how many in favour of the appellant.

Mr. Yeo

The Secretary of State may call in planning applications for his own decision and arrange inquiries. No applications concerning the use of leisure plots within green belts have been called in within the last five years.

Mr. Dunn

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce legislation to curtail the practice of selling green belt land as leisure plots, thus creating opportunity for the settlement of temporary homes in the green belt; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Yeo

No. There is already judicial authority that the creation of leisure plots from former agricultural land is a "material" change of use, requiring planning permission. Local planning authorities have adequate enforcement powers to remedy such uses in breach of planning control.

The provisions in part I of the Planning and Compensation Bill will strengthen authorities' ability to take effective enforcement action. The maximum penalty, on summary conviction of an enforcement notice or stop notice offence is to be increased from £2,000 to £20,000. This should help to make the enforcement provisions even more effective in preventing the use of Green Belt land for leisure purposes.

We announced on 11 June, Official Report, columns 482–85, that we would be withdrawing all agricultural permitted development rights from all farm holdings of less than 5 hectares, and from agricultural areas of less than 1 hectare on larger holdings, and introducing new controls over the siting of farm buildings. This should provide more effective control over development associated with the fragmentation of holdings.

Sir Peter Morrison

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 18 July,Official Report, column 241, if he will list the sources of the information on approved green belts in 1979 and 1989 published in "This Common Inheritance"; and if he will send copies of this information to the right hon. Member for the City of Chester.

Mr. Yeo

[holding answer 23 July 1991]: The 1989 information was derived from surveys of development plans, which show green belt boundaries. I am sending my right hon. Friend a copy of the compilation, which includes the area of green belt by county. We believe that the 1979 information was compiled in a similar way.