§ Lord Moynihanasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether local audits, as required by planning policy guidance note 17, will be undertaken by the Ministry of Defence before the sale of any of their playing fields as part of the Ministry of Defence's programme to sell surplus land. [HL4840]
§ Lord BachPlanning policy guidance note 17 places an obligation on local authorities and not the Ministry of Defence to carry out local audits of open space, sports and recreational facilities in order to develop appropriate policies within the local planning framework.
Nevertheless, the Ministry of Defence will consult local authorities prior to marketing surplus land and property in order to establish the planning framework for a particular site, which may involve an independent assessment of such matters.