§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the wildlife value and recreational opportunities presented by suburban and urban gardens. [49854]
§ Angela EagleSuburban and urban gardens have considerable local value for wildlife and such gardens cover an estimated 3 per cent. of Britain's land surface. Gardens form important wildlife habitats in urban areas and are the place where the majority of the public enjoy their day to day contact with nature.
12WIt is difficult to determine the recreational opportunities that suburban and urban gardens provide. However, it is clear that they offer scope for a range of informal recreational activities which will vary according to the size and type of garden.
Suburban gardens make excellent bird habitats and the number of different species they hold is often higher than that in nearby rural areas and always greater than that of the inner city. One in ten gardens has a pond and this has proved important to the common frog at a time when its population declined in many parts of the countryside. British town gardens have some of the best developed communities of plants growing on walls in Europe.
Approximately 30,000 species of animals are found in Britain and it is believed that about 25 per cent. occur in gardens. A single garden in Leicester had 2,200 species of plant and animal recorded there between 1973 and 1986 and this is likely to be reasonably representative of many medium gardens.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his Department's policy on development taking place in suburban and urban gardens. [49856]
§ Mr. RaynsfordCurrent planning policy on this issue is set out in detail in paragraph 26 of Planning Policy Guidance note 3 (Housing), which was issued by the last Administration. This states that
Homes with large back gardens are a common feature in many urban, suburban and village areas. Sometimes it may be acceptable to develop back gardens for new housing which is in keeping with the character and quality of the local environment. Where development of back garden or back land is allowed, it will require careful planning. For example, there must be proper means of access, which is convenient and safe for both drivers and pedestrians, and adequate provision for car parking. There must be adequate space between old and new buildings to avoid spoiling the amenity of neighbouring houses, for example, by overshadowing. Sensitive design and good landscaping are particularly important if new buildings are to be fitted successively into small vacant sites in established residential areas. "Tandem" development, consisting of one house immediately behind another and sharing the same access, is generally unsatisfactory because of the difficulties of access to the house at the back and the disturbance and lack of privacy suffered by the house in front".The Government are currently revising PPG3, and will be issuing a draft for consultation later this summer.