HC Deb 09 June 1998 vol 313 c510W
13. Dr. Gibson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish the locations of identified brown-field sites in the United Kingdom. [43238]

Mr. Caborn

Work starts this summer to gather information about previously developed land in England which may be available for redevelopment. My Department is working on this with the Local Government Management Board, English Partnerships, Ordnance Survey and Local Authorities. English Partnerships intends to publish information on an initial set of sites suitable for redevelopment, by the end of the year; summary results for all sites should be available by March 1999.

19. Mr. John M. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received on his current target for development on brown-field sites. [43245]

Mr. Caborn

The Government expect local authorities to be able to raise the national proportion of new homes to be built on previously developed land, including conversions of existing buildings, to 60 per cent. over the next 10 years. We also expect the regional conferences of local authorities to bring forward regional recycling targets.

24. Mr. Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made in his review of policy concerning new housing numbers and development on green-field and brown-field sites. [43251]

Mr. Caborn

We are taking forward the further action outlined inPlanning for the Communities of the Future. In particular, the Urban Task Force has started its work and we have started work on the development of a National Land Use Database.