§ Ms BuckTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what measures he intends to bring forward to raise the density of new housing developments in London and the South East. [78711]
§ Mr. PrescottIn my Parliamentary Statement of 18 July on sustainable communities I announced the Government's intentions for tackling the housing shortage in London and the South East. The Statement explained that the Government expects the housing numbers already agreed in regional planning guidance for the South East to be delivered, working within the presumption of making better use of land by improving design, increasing densities and using brownfield sites to the full. In the Statement, I announced I would intervene in planning applications for housing that involve a density of less than 30 dwellings per hectare net. 1 am publishing today the Town and Country Planning (Residential Density) (London and South East England) Direction 2002 which gives effect to this announcement. From 2 December local planning authorities in London and the South East will have to consult me before giving planning permission for low density housing developments.