§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of(a) the percentage and surface area of recycled land by county and region in England and (b) the percentage and surface area of this land which requires decontamination. [32416]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThere is no specific definition of 'recycled' land, but it is generally 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. Figures on the total stock of previously developed land available for recycling are not held centrally. However, my Department is currently working with the Local Government Management Board, local authorities, English Partnerships, and others to establish a National Land Use Database that will provide, as a priority, a consistent assessment of previously developed land available for housing.
Estimates of the amount of derelict land—defined as
land so damaged by industrial or other development that it is incapable of beneficial use without treatment".by region and county are available from a survey of derelict land last undertaken in 1993. This information is included in Tables 3 and 5 of "Survey of Derelict Land in England 1993 Volume 2—Reference Tables", a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what grants are available to assist with the cost of decontaminating recycled land in England; and what grants have been available in each of the past 12 years. [32417]
§ Angela EagleBoth English Partnership and the Single Regeneration Budget Challenge Fund can support projects which include land reclamation. Applications to English Partnerships are handled within the framework provided by its overall development programme (Investment Fund), largely as part of its Land Reclamation and Partnership Investment Programmes. The operation of this Fund emphases flexible partnerships and funding mechanisms and on maximising private investment. The Challenge Fund operates in a similar manner. Money from the European Structural funds can also be used for land reclamation as part of a wider project.
My Department ceased to accept further applications for Derelict Land Grant (DLG) in March 1994 when the programme ended. Since April 1994, transitional arrangements have been in place whereby English Partnerships make payments to local authorities on behalf 783W of the Secretary of State for all DLG projects which had been approved at that time. Annual payments have, inevitably, decreased, with an annual breakdown as follows:
Year £ million 1986–87 61.9 1987–88 66.9 1988–89 57.8 1989–90 52.4 1990–91 67.1 1991–92 81.5 1992–93 105.4 1993–94 103.8 1994–95 84.6 1995–96 65.5 1996–97 25.0 1997–98 18.0
§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage and surface area of recycled land has been decontaminated
Table 1: Derelict land reclaimed annually between 1 April 1988 and 31 March 1993: by standard region hectares Standard region 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991 1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 North 337 340 431 272 180 North West 274 392 314 208 527 Yorkshire and Humberside 170 327 269 261 429 West Midlands 393 287 182 304 301 East Midlands 601 203 143 420 463 East Anglia 16 8 37 49 37 South West 79 136 103 111 147 South East (excluding Greater London) 108 60 46 157 114 Greater London 52 30 53 27 90 England 2,030 1,783 1,576 1,808 2,286 Source:
Survey of Derelict Land in England 1993
Table 2: Amount of reclaimed derelict land with a residential end use: by standard region hectares Standard region 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991 1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 North 17 2 22 14 0 North West 50 46 65 29 98 Yorkshire and Humberside 8 27 49 4 30 West Midlands 56 52 27 23 45 East Midlands 80 5 16 3 5 East Anglia 0 0 1 0 1 South West 4 1 9 5 5 South East (excluding Greater London) 1 1 1 87 3 Greater London 1 13 5 1 12 England 217 147 194 166 199 Source:
Survey of Derelict Land in England 1993
784Win each of the last 12 years by county and region in England; and what percentage and surface area of that land has been used for housing developments. [32418]
§ Mr. RaynsfordEstimates of the amount of derelict land reclaimed, and the amount of this land that was used for housing are available from the "Survey of Derelict Land 1993". Derelict land is defined as "land so damaged by industrial or other development that it is incapable of beneficial use without treatment". Table 1 shows, for the period 1988 to 1993 (the most recently available), the amount of derelict land reclaimed annually, by Standard Region. Figures to county level are shown in Table 14 of "Survey of Derelict Land in England 1993 Volume 2—Reference Tables", a copy of which is in the Library. Table 2 shows the amount of that land that was used for residential purposes, by Standard Region. Information on the end use of derelict land is not available at county level.
Figures on the total stock of previously developed land available for recycling are not held centrally. However, the Department is currently working with the Local Government Management Board, local authorities, English Partnerships, and others to establish a National Land Use Database that will provide, as a priority, a consistent assessment of previously developed land available for housing.