HC Deb 12 November 1996 vol 285 cc104-5W
Mr. Wilkinson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what meetings officials of his Department have had with officers of Hillingdon borough council to discuss the objections he has lodged with the council to its proposed changes to Hillingdon's draft unitary development plan; and what meetings are planned for the future; [3708]

(2) to which of its proposed changes to the Hillingdon draft unitary development plant his Department lodged objections with Hillingdon borough council; [3709]

(3) on what grounds his Department lodged objections with Hillingdon borough council to its proposed changes to the Hillingdon draft unitary development plan; [3710]

(4) if he will publish in the Official Report the text of his letter to Hillingdon borough council in objection to its planned changes to Hillingdon's unitary development plan.[3711]

Sir Paul Beresford

Objections were made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to 26 proposed modifications. The objections were made to modifications that appeared to bring the plan into conflict with national or regional policies without good reason and where that was proposed would result in the plan lacking clarity such that it could cause great difficulties to users later.

Twelve modifications concerned green-belt and metropolitan open land; six modifications would produce policies or proposals that were unclear or imprecise; and three modifications conflicted with our preferred approach to planning and affordable housing. A further five modifications to which objections were made related to proposals for residential development on two recreation grounds.

Objections to the published modifications in respect of the deposited Hillingdon unitary development plan are addressed to the council of the London borough of Hillingdon. I would be pleased to provide a copy of the objections made by my right hon. Friend, but the approach in the first place should be to the council.

We encourage local authorities to meet objectors to discuss objections. These informal meetings are helpful, not least to consider how the plan might be changed to meet the objections. Officials in the Government office for London and those from Hillingdon have met recently to pursue the objections made by my right hon. Friend. Further discussion is likely once Hillingdon's response to the objections it has received is known.