HC Deb 18 July 2000 vol 354 cc132-3W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his latest assessment is of the availability of brownfield land suitable for housing purposes in urban centres. [130218]

Ms Beverley Hughes

Estimates for 1998 of the amount of previously developed land that is unused or may be available for redevelopment, including how much may be suitable for housing, are published on the National Land Use Database website (www.nlud.org.uk). Figures are available for England and the Government Office Regions. Figures for local authority districts show amounts of previously developed land with planning allocation or permission for housing. There are no estimates for "urban centres".

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his targets are for the percentage of new homes in Shrewsbury and Atcham to be built on brownfield sites. [131148]

Ms Beverley Hughes

The Secretary of State expects Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council to contribute towards the regional target of 61 per cent. contained in Regional Planning Guidance for the West Midlands (RPG 11: April 1998). Local authorities are required to set their own land recycling targets in development plans which will contribute to attaining the regional target. It is understood that in its review of the local plan the borough council proposes to exceed the regional target. The Government's Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing (March 2000) confirms the national target of 60 per cent. of additional housing on previously developed land and requires local authorities to give priority to the re-use of such land within urban areas in allocating sites for housing in development plans.