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11 Feb 2004 : Column 1522W—continued
Graffiti
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what strategies his Department has developed to encourage the removal of graffiti from (a) public and (b) private buildings; [153762]
- (2) what new programmes for urban renewal include programmes to remove graffiti; [153761]
(3) what steps his Department takes to encourage local authorities to remove graffiti. [153760]
Keith Hill: Through "Sustainable Communities: Building for the Future", the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is investing £201 million to improve local liveability and create decent places. A key element of this supports action to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) including the removal of graffiti from public spaces and buildings. The cross Government liveability programme is also supported by the Home Office's 'together' national action plan on tackling ASB, which includes measures for tackling graffiti such as Shop 'em and Stop 'em projects.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is also extending local authority powers to deal with environmental problems such as graffiti, fly-tipping and fly-posting. For example, the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 includes powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for graffiti, enabling local authorities to issue such notices to people who commit 'minor' acts of graffiti and to allow all local authorities to retain income from Fixed Penalty Notices issued for graffiti for use in local environmental improvements. These measures will be introduced shortly.
Its up to private building owners to remove graffiti from their property, however local authorities can assist if necessary. The Home Office, through its 'together' action plan, will be piloting the use of new powers in 12 pilot areas, which will enable local authorities to charge back the cost of cleaning up street furniture to the owner.
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In addition, by banning the sales of spray paints to under 16s we are trying to reduce the incidences of graffiti.
HMOs
Mr. Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations his Department has received from (a) Universities UK and (b) individual vice chancellors about whether higher education halls of residence should fall within the scope of a mandatory houses in multiple occupation licensing scheme. [153139]
Keith Hill: In the 1999 Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) consultation representations were received from the following academic institutions supporting the proposal to exclude higher education halls of residence from the mandatory HMO licensing scheme: Universities UK, the Universities of Newcastle, Lancaster, Wales and the domestic bursars of Oxford Christ Church. Those who did not support the exemption included Sheffield, Manchester, North Staffordshire and Swansea.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of houses in multiple occupation which fall within the scope of the proposed mandatory licensing scheme within the Housing Bill. [153298]
Keith Hill: The Government estimate that about 120,000 Houses in Multiple Occupation will be subject to licensing under the mandatory scheme proposed in the Housing Bill. It is estimated that between 360,000 to 450,000 dwellings will be covered by the scheme.
Housing
Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what standards have been established for the Government's plans for the redevelopment of the Thames Gateway in respect of (a) the residential density of new housing developments, (b) the proportion of development land that is expected to be previously-developed land, (c) design quality, (d) construction quality standards, (e) the accessibility of new housing to local amenities, (f) public transport accessibility and (g) the use of sustainable construction methods. [154043]
Keith Hill: For the Thames Gateway and elsewhere:
(a) (b) Planning Policy Guidance note 3 (PPG3) has introduced a series of tough new measures designed to meet the country's future housing needs in the most sustainable way possible. This includes a sequential approach which gives priority to re-using brownfield sites in urban areas in preference to developing Greenfield sites. In addition, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has a national target that, by 2008, 60 per cent. of additional housing should be provided on previously developed land and through conversions of existing buildings. One of the key features of the Thames Gateway as a suitable location for sustainable development is the presence of a substantial reservoir of brownfield land. In the period 1997–2000 an estimated 80 per cent. of new dwellings in the Gateway were built on previously developed land. The targeted investment now being mobilised through funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Department for Transport, Regional Development Agencies aims to maintain this
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trend by increasing the viability and potential development density on key sites in the Gateway. PPG3 also encourages housing development that makes more efficient use of land (between 30 and 50 dwellings per hectare) and seeks greater intensity of development at places with good public transport accessibility.
(c) Planning Policy Guidance note 1 (PPG1) requires that
"good design should be the aim of all those involved in the development process and should be encouraged everywhere".
(e) (f) Government planning policy (in particular Planning Policy Guidance note 13) is to promote accessibility to local amenities by public transport, walking and cycling. In his statement on 30 July 2003, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister identified public transport infrastructure projects that are critical to supporting growth in the Thames Gateway. These included projects to improve strategic links within the Gateway through the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) and to improve public transport capacity and connections in major development locations through extensions to the Docklands Light Railway network and bus transit systems for East and South-East London and Kent Thameside. Since this statement, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has approved a consultation exercise by the Strategic Rail Authority on a proposed Integrated Kent Franchise that incorporates CTRL domestic services to Stratford and Ebbsfleet. An informal offer of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) credits to enable the Mayor to take forward the multi-modal Thames Gateway Bridge proposal has also been made.
Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average residential density of housing developments given planning permission since March 2000 is in (a) Bexley, (b) Barking and Dagenham, (c) Greenwich, (d) Hackney, (e) Lewisham, (f) Newham, (g) Havering, (h) Tower Hamlets, (i) Waltham Forest, (j) Thurrock, (k) Basildon, (l) Castle Point, (m) Southend-on-Sea, (n) Rochford, (o) Medway, (p) Dartford, (q) Gravesham and (r) Swale local authority areas; and what the average residential density of such developments across all these boroughs is. [154191]
Keith Hill: Information relating to the average residential density of housing developments given planning permission in these local authorities since March 2000 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All Local Planning Authorities within the Thames Gateway and elsewhere,
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are obliged to keep information relating to the determination of planning applications within their area of operation.
Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what standards new housing to be built in communities envisaged in the Thames Gateway will be required to meet in respect of (a) schools, (b) health care facilities, (c) leisure facilities and (d) open spaces. [154192]
Keith Hill: For the Thames Gateway and elsewhere, Government planning policy (in particular Planning Policy Guidance 13) is to promote accessibility to jobs, shopping, leisure facilities and services by public transport, walking and cycling.
In addition, the Social Exclusion Unit's "Making the Connections" report, published in February 2003, sets out a strategy to help people on low incomes access work, food shops and key public services, notably education and healthcare. This includes the approach of accessibility planning in those areas that produce a Local Transport Plan, where local transport planners and others work together to examine accessibility needs and how to overcome barriers. Accessibility planning is currently being piloted and various accessibility indicators are under consideration.
Tom Cox: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the purpose is of merging housing associations within the Greater London area. [152978]
Keith Hill: This is a matter for the Housing Corporation but in general terms there are four sets of circumstances in which housing associations merge.
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The first, and by far the most common, is where two or more associations conclude, of their own volition, that they can provide better or more services by coming together.
The second is where an association which is in breach of the Corporation's Regulatory Code concludes that the best or only way of resolving its problems is by joining another association with the necessary skills and resources.
The third is where, after a Statutory Inquiry has found mismanagement or misconduct in the affairs of the association, the Corporation's Board has the power to direct, with the consent of the Secretary of State, the association to transfer its land and property to another association of the Corporation's choosing.
In the event of an insolvency, the Corporation has the power to make proposals as to the future ownership and management of the land held by an RSL, which is designed to secure its continued proper management by another RSL. Any such proposals would have to be agreed by all the secured creditors.
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