HC Deb 24 June 1999 vol 333 cc443-5W
Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with English Partnerships about the regeneration of Wembley around the new English National Stadium. [87792]

Mr. Raynsford

English Partnerships, LB Brent, the English Stadium Trust and Development Company, Sports England and the Government Office for London have jointly sponsored a comprehensive regeneration framework for Wembley. This work is shortly to be completed and in its next stage involves an area masterplan running in parallel with the design of the stadium and intended to secure a significant upgrade in Wembley's economic and physical environment.

Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with local police and transport police about passenger safety and crowd control at Wembley Park, Wembley Central and Wembley Stadium stations. [87788]

Mr. Raynsford

Wembley's ability to handle large crowds through its public transport infrastructure was central to its successful bid for the new National Stadium. Issues of passenger safety and crowd control are a matter for the long standing and successful liaison arrangements between the stadium operator, local police, London Transport and other rail operators.

Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to ensure that the quality of the built environment surrounding the new English National Stadium is adequate to accommodate international events. [87790]

Mr. Raynsford

This is a matter for the London Borough of Brent as local planning authority in the first instance. Their unitary development plan contains policies to protect and enhance the built environment around the Stadium which they will apply to the planning application for the Stadium when it is made and those for other development proposals as they come forward.

Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he will take to ensure that the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium brings economic benefits to the local area. [87845]

Mr. Raynsford

The Wembley Park Regeneration Partnership between local public and private sector interests was formed for just this purpose. The Partnership has secured Single Regeneration Budget Challenge Fund support of £15,255,000, towards an overall £137 million seven year programme of infrastructure and training/employment initiatives in the Business Park surrounding the Stadium. The programme commenced in April 1996.

Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the applicability of lessons learned from the regeneration at Greenwich to the regeneration of Wembley. [87793]

Mr. Raynsford

There are distinct differences between the Greenwich Peninsula and the development context at Wembley; not least in the depth and extent of contaminated land and pre-existing levels of transport provision. We are keen however that appropriate lessons from both Greenwich and other key London Regeneration sites are incorporated into the Wembley solution.

Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with Sport England and the local planning authority on the capacity of the public transport infrastructure around the new English National Stadium. [87789]

Mr. Raynsford

Wembley's successful bid for the National Stadium was based on the adequacy of its local transport infrastructure. The impact of the Stadium on this infrastructure will turn both on detailed design which will not be unveiled until mid summer, and the substance of the planning application to the London Borough of Brent, which I understand will not be made until October. In the meantime I am a member of the Stadium Development Monitoring Committee, which is the natural focus for visitor management issues, and at which Sport England are represented.

Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Government Office for London about the SRB5 bid for Wembley submitted by the London Borough of Brent; and on what dates. [87794]

Mr. Raynsford

My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning met with GOL officials and the London Development Partnership on 14 June to discuss all London bids in the current SRB round.

Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Ms Jackson), has to visit Wembley to inspect the public transport infrastructure around the new English National Stadium. [87791]

Mr. Raynsford

My hon. Friend has been invited by the London Borough of Brent to visit the area in early July. No itinerary has yet been finalised but there may well be an opportunity to visit the Stadium environs.