HC Deb 06 March 1998 vol 307 cc780-2W
Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of housing has been built on (a) recycled land and (b) greenfield land in each of the last 12 years by county and region in England. [32419]

Mr. Raynsford

There is no specific definition of 'recycled' land but it is usually taken to mean land previously developed for urban uses. These uses include residential, transport and utilities, industry and commerce, community services, previously developed vacant land and derelict land. The Department's Land Use Statistics for England provide information on the percentage of new dwellings (excluding conversions) built on land previously developed for urban uses since 1989. Table 1 gives estimates for the number of new dwellings built on previously developed land, by Government Office Region for the period 1989 to 1993 (the most recent available). Figures are not available at county level. Table 2 shows the proportion of land for new housing that was previously developed over the same period, by Government Office Region.

There is no specific definition of 'greenfield' land, but it could be interpreted as 'land not previously developed'. The proportion of housing built on 'greenfield' land would then simply be the difference between 100 (per cent) and the figures in the Tables.

Table 1: Proportion of new dwellings1 built on previously developed land: Government Office Region
percentage
Region 1989 1990 1991 1992 21993
North East 43 42 47 55 41
North West and Merseyside 49 55 55 62 62
North West 47 55 55 60 57
Merseyside 61 52 53 71 80
Yorkshire and Humberside 43 44 42 47 51
East Midlands 40 38 35 36 33
West Midlands 44 47 48 52 56
Eastern 51 52 46 48 51
London 87 83 84 89 87
South East 55 54 53 50 52
South West 44 42 34 40 36
England 51 50 49 53 53
1Excludes conversions
2Provisional estimate

Source:

Land Use Change Statistics

Table 2: Proportion of land for new housing that was previously developed: by Government Office Region
percentage
Region 1989 1990 1991 1992 11993
North East 35 35 43 46 40
North West and Merseyside 43 47 49 56 59
North West 39 46 49 54 55
Merseyside 66 52 48 65 76
Yorkshire and Humberside 38 38 38 42 48
East Midlands 35 36 33 34 33
West Midlands 37 39 44 46 49
Eastern 44 46 41 46 49
Table 2: Proportion of land for new housing that was previously developed: by Government Office Region
percentage
Region 1989 1990 1991 1992 11993
London 85 79 83 84 83
South East 49 52 50 49 49
South West 35 33 30 35 32
England 42 43 44 47 48
1Provisional estimate

Source:

Land Use Change Statistics

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