§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will estimate how many new homes will be built in the United Kingdom by the year 2006(a) in total, (b) on green-field sites and (c) on brown-field sites; [91318]
(2) if he will estimate how many new homes will be built within Lancashire on (a) green-field and (b) brown-field sites over the next 10 years; [91317]
(3) if he will estimate how many new homes will be built on green-field sites over the next 10 years, broken down by region. [91316]
§ Mr. RaynsfordMy Department does not estimate the number of new homes to be built. Estimates of housing requirements are derived in Regional Planning Guidance following public examination.
The Government's target is to provide 60 per cent. of new homes on previously developed land or by conversion of existing buildings. They have asked Regional Planning Bodies and local planning authorities to set their own recycling targets consistent with delivery of the national target. To assist in this process, my Department has established the first phase of the National Land Use Database to provide a comprehensive assessment of previously developed vacant and derelict land, and other developed land that may be available for recycling.