§ Mr. TrickettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what84W comparative weight his Department attaches to planning applications which could have an economic regeneration impact in former colliery sites. [158274]
§ Ms Beverley HughesSection 54A of the Town and Country Planning Act requires that an application for planning permission or an appeal shall be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Other considerations may include Government planning policy guidance, as well as the particular circumstances of the case, including the contribution a proposal could make to economic regeneration.
§ Mr. TrickettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has provided to local planning authorities in relation to the regeneration of former colliery sites. [158276]
§ Ms Beverley HughesNo specific guidance has been issued to local planning authorities in relation to the regeneration of former colliery sites. The Government stated in response to the report of the Coalfields Task Force that sufficient flexibility already exists in national planning guidance to permit the development of carefully selected employment sites.
§ Mr. TrickettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he has taken, and what new initiatives he proposes, to bring about the regeneration of former colliery sites in the Yorkshire area. [158277]
§ Ms Beverley HughesTwenty-eight former colliery sites, covering in excess of 1,200 hectares, are located in Yorkshire. 26 of these are within the portfolio of Yorkshire Forward. The reclamation and servicing of these sites is being taken forward through the 10-year National Coalfield Programme.
Work has already commenced on 16 of the Yorkshire sites. To date 247 hectares of derelict land has been reclaimed, with a further 286 hectares in the process of being reclaimed; 2,400 job opportunities have been created; about 60,000 sq m of floorspace constructed and £40 million of private sector investment secured. Reclamation work on a further four of the sites is expected to commence during the current year.
The Coalfields Regeneration Trust has provided over £4.3 million in grants to the coalfields communities in the Yorkshire region. The Trust provides grants for smaller voluntary and community groups, through its development worker team, to help strengthen community identities. It also supports intermediate labour market projects that involve the training and employment of local people—projects that support lifelong learning. Following the Government's recent decision to provide an additional £45 million to the trust over the three years to March 2005, the trust is developing rolling regional plans to ensure that its actions meet regional needs. The trust will allow the trust to maintain and develop further its key role in combating poverty, debt and social exclusion in the former coalfield areas.
In addition to these coalfield-specific programmes a range of national programmes directly benefit the coalmining communities in Yorkshire, including the Single Regeneration Budget, the Housing Investment Programme and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. The 85W Single Regeneration Budget alone has provided over £100 million to deliver a holistic regeneration package across these coalfield areas.