§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers he has to prevent Tyne and Wear development corporation or any other public agency from spending money from their grant allocation on land reclamation to provide car parking spaces. [4702]
§ Sir Paul Beresford[holding answer 7 December 1995]: Under section 138 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 the Secretary of State has powers to give directions to an urban development corporation for restricting the exercise of its powers or for requiring it to exercise those powers in a specified manner. The Secretary of State has similar powers in respect of English Partnerships.
§ Mr. HendersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to prevent Tyne and Wear development corporation or any other agency from spending money from their grant on reclaiming land to provide 1,400 car parking spaces as part of stage 2 of the development of the Wearmouth colliery site in Sunderland. [4707]
§ Sir Paul Beresford[holding answer given 7 December 1995]: No. Land reclamation is one of the prime functions of urban development corporations.
The stage 2 development will proceed only if a suitable regeneration use can be found. It is a proper use of public money to pump prime private developments on difficult sites.