Living Over the Shop Campaign

HC Deb 04 February 1994 vol 236 c939W

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce his decision in respect of the living over the shop campaign; and how he proposes to implement that decision.

Sir George Young

I propose to make up to £10 million in supplementary credit approvals available to local authorities in 1994–95, to enable them to carry out flats over shops schemes. I am pleased that we have received over 500 separate bids from local authorities for resources totalling £40 million. I shall announce the allocations by the end of February. In addition, the Housing Corporation is funding such schemes from its approved development programme.

I am encouraged by increasing interest from authorities, housing associations and property owners in bringing spare space above shops back into residential use.