§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what split he recommends for industry and housing on brownfield sites. [179511]
§ Keith HillThe Government does not set the proportion of brownfield sites which should be developed for industry and housing, nor would it wish to. Local planning authorities, through the development plan process, should decide for themselves what sites to allocate for housing and industrial land.
In preparing development plans, local authorities must have regard to national planning policies. Planning Policy Guidance note 3: Housing sets a national target for 60 per cent. of additional housing, including conversions, to be built on previously -developed land. The latest figure achieved is 66 per cent. in 2002, a figure which has increased every year since 1997. There is no target for industrial uses.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is currently producing good practice guidance for the review of local authority employment land allocations, which will be published later this year. The guidance will provide a methodology that can be applied to the circumstances of each local authority area, rather than recommending a proportional split between the development of housing and industrial uses at a national level.