Church Fenton Airfield (Hansard, 10 July 2000)

§ Mr. Grogan
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what environmental appraisal has been conducted regarding his Department's plans to secure planning permission for housing on Church Fenton airfield. [129815]

§ Dr. Moonie
To date it has been premature to discuss the issue of environmental appraisals with Selby District Council (SDC). The Ministry of Defence, or the site's eventual developer, will, prior to the submission of any planning application(s), liaise with SDC over the provision of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for those aspects of the development for which one may be required under planning/environmental legislation.

§ Mr. Grogan
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what environmental and conservation bodies have been consulted by his Department in connection with its plans to secure planning permission for housing on Church Fenton airfield. [129814]

§ Dr. Moonie
Under the Town and Country Planning legislation it is the duty of the local planning authority (LPA) to consult with environmental and conservation bodies, where necessary, over any applications for development. It is not known what consultations Selby District Council have undertaken in respect of RAF Church Fenton. It would be premature for us to initiate these discussions as our plans are being tested at the Local Plan Inquiry.

§ Mr. Grogan
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations his Department has had with local parish councils regarding his Department's proposal to secure planning permission for housing on Church Fenton Airfield. [129830]

§ Dr. Moonie
Under the Town and Country Planning Acts it is an obligation of the local planning authority (LPA) to consult with the parish councils once they receive a planning application for redevelopment. In August 1998, my Department submitted an application for redevelopment of part of the Church Fenton site and the LPA should have consulted the parish councils. Their response is not known. We subsequently agreed to hold any decision on that application in abeyance until the result of the current Local Plan Inquiry was known. As for our submissions to, and appearance at, the Local Plan Inquiry, the local parish councils would have been part of the LPA's consultation process throughout the preparation of the plan. However, they were also specifically advised of our proposals by letter from our planning consultants in early June of this year.