§ Harry CohenTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what provisions are being made to increase the amount of affordable and quality housing in(a) Leyton and Wanstead, (b) the London borough of Redbridge and (c) the London borough of Waltham Forest. [178194]
§ Keith HillThe housing capital allocations to social and key worker schemes in the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme for support to new supply and regeneration schemes in 2004–05 and 2005–06 for the London borough of Redbridge and the London borough of Waltham Forest are as follows:
Social housing grant (£ million)
Homes LB Redbridge 14.017 337 LB Waltham Forest 14.996 273 Information at constituency level is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Harry CohenTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what weighting he expects(a) a planning authority and (b) a planning inspector to give to (i) environmental protection of land where this is supported by the local community and (ii) the designated use in an agreed statutory district plan of a piece of land where such use is contrary to an application for speculative housing development; and if he will make a statement. [178195]
§ Keith HillEach application is determined with reference to the local authority's development plan for the area and, where appropriate, to any other material considerations, including guidance such as our Planning Policy Guidance Notes, when assessing the impacts and land-use merits of each proposal.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent discussion; he has had with Elevate, the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder, concerning its proposals; and if he will make a statement. [178257]
744W
§ Keith HillOfficials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have regular discussions with Elevate on its progress in implementing its market renewal scheme, grant towards which was announced in my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister's statement of 26 March 2004,Official Report, column 69WS.
§ Ms BuckTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to encourage progress in delivery of social housing on sites where planning permission has been granted but where building has not yet started. [178357]
§ Keith HillThere are various incentives in the planning system to bring about the provision of social housing once consent has been granted. First, consents are time limited. Secondly, the local planning authority may ask the developer to execute planning obligations, or it may impose conditions which provide that a specified proportion of the general market housing on the site cannot be occupied until the social housing element has been built and transferred to a registered social landlord (RSL). Finally, the Housing Corporation seeks to engage with RSLs at an early stage in the planning process, so that funding through its Approved Development Programme can be made available, where appropriate.