§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on what basis he calculates and allocates the numbers of new-build residential properties for which local authorities are asked to make provision within their local plans; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what consultations he has with (a) local authorities, (b) constituency members and (c) others prior to announcing the allocations of the numbers of new-build residential properties for which local authorities are asked to make provision within their local plans;
(3) if he will give a breakdown by local authority of the numbers of new-build residential properties for which those local authorities have currently been asked to make provision within their local plans.
§ Mr. Baldry[holding answer 10 March 1993]: Local plans have to be prepared by non-metropolitan districts and national parks in general conformity with structure plans. Their housing policies and proposals have to conform with the structure plan's housing allocation for each district. Structure plans are prepared by the county councils, having regard to the indicative housing allocations for each county contained in the Secretary of State's regional guidance where this has been published. All current county structure plans were approved by the Secretary of State, although revised arrangements will apply under the 1991 Act in respect of future reviews.
In drawing up regional guidance, the Secretary of State takes into account advice provided by local authority regional groupings. Both this advice and the subsequent draft guidance are subject to full public consultation.
The statutory procedures for drawing up and adopting development plans require full public consultation. They also provide an opportunity for objections to be made and for the issues and to be debated at an examination-in-public (EIP) before policies are adopted.
In Cheshire the structure plans allocation for each district between 1986 and 2001, to be taken into account in local plan preparation, is:
District Number Warrington about 12,000 Halton about 7,400 Ellesmere Port and Neston about 3,600 Vale Royal about 8,000 Macclesfield about 7,600 Chester about 6,100 Crewe and Nantwich about 8,000 Congleton about 6,000 This total includes both new units and conversions of existing buildings.
Because the structure plans have been prepared to cover different time scales, we cannot provide comparable data for other areas.
I will provide similar information for other counties if my hon. Friend would care to write to me.