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10 Nov 2004 : Column 745W—continued
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Casinos/Amusements
Mr. Battle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many planning applications put to local authorities in England and Wales for (a) amusement arcades and (b) casinos which have been (i) objected to by (A) local residents and (B) local elected councillors and (ii) opposed by the local authority planning committee have been approved in the last year; and if he will make a statement. [196731]
Keith Hill: Information about the numbers of planning applications for specific proposals received by English and Welsh local authorities which have been objected to by local residents and locally elected councillors is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
In cases where the local planning authority have not approved an application, and the applicant has appealed to the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, the appeal is heard by the Planning Inspectorate. In the last year (September 2003 to October 2004) the Inspectorate received:
(a) 19 appeals for development of amusement arcades. Of these, five were withdrawn, five were allowed, the rest are awaiting decision.
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(b) Casinos lie within Use Class D2. The Inspectorate records appeals under this heading rather than the individual use. There were 22 D2 appeals, of which two were withdrawn, six were allowed, five dismissed, and the remaining nine await a decision.
Commercial Property Leases (Consultation)
Matthew Green: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many responses the Department received to its consultation paper on commercial property leases: options for deterring or outlawing the use of upward only rent review clauses, broken down by (a) representative organisations, (b) landlords and (c) property occupiers. [195722]
Keith Hill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 4 November 2004, Official Report, column 435W.
Compulsory Purchase
Mr. Byrne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what guidance has been circulated to local authorities in England concerning the issue of compulsory purchase orders where ownership of a particular site is in dispute or unknown. [197239]
Keith Hill: The ability of an acquiring authority to acquire land compulsorily is not affected by the fact that the land is in unknown or disputed ownership.
Part 1 of the Memorandum to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Circular 06/2004 "Compulsory Purchase and the Crichel Down Rules" (replacing predecessor CPO circulars) provides guidance to acquiring authorities in England on the use of compulsory purchase powers. Appendix U to Part 1 of the Memorandum to the Circular includes advice on how land in unknown or disputed ownership should be included in an order. Appendix T to Part 1 of the Memorandum to the Circular also refers to the procedure for notification of the making of an order in respect of land in unknown ownership at section 6(4) of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.
Departmental Publications
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the Department's target is for the interval between publication of (a) departmental announcements and documents and (b) material published by public bodies for which his Department has oversight and their posting online; and what the average interval was of the latest year for which figures are available. [195396]
Phil Hope: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister aims to publish departmental announcements and documents online simultaneously with printed publications. Typically online content is published on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website on the same day as the printed publication.
Fair Trade
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether it is his policy to ensure that hospitality within his Department is sourced from fair trade producers wherever possible within the boundaries set by the public procurement rules. [197064]
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Phil Hope: The purchasing policy of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister reflects the Government's value for money policy and the EC procurement rules, which require the procurement of goods and services to be based on value for money and acquired by competition, unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary, and the objectives of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Fair trade products are widely available in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The restaurants sell fair trade products including coffee, tea and chocolate bars. The catering menus include options that allow for fair trade tea and coffee to be provided, on request, for official meetings and conferences.
Green Belt
Mr. Byrne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what reports he has received of sites designated as green belt wedge within a unitary development plan being redeveloped for community sports and recreation uses. [197236]
Keith Hill: In the first instance, all new development proposals are considered by the local planning authority, having regard to relevant policies in the adopted development plan for the area and any other material considerations. The First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister is notified when the local planning authority is minded to grant planning permission for development that does not accord with the development plan. Such 'departures' from the plan should include applications for inappropriate development in the green belt.
Since 2001 the following planning applications in the West Midlands region involving development of community sports and recreation uses on green belt land have been referred to the First Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister as departures from the development plan:
Smestow Bridge Industrial Estate, Wombourne, South Staffordshire—conversion of industrial unit to health and fitness centre
Wye Road Community Centre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire—extension and alterations to existing community centre
Friary Grange, Lichfield—recreation centre building, and outdoor multi-purpose activity areas/pitches
City Technology College, Kingshurst, Solihull—installation of all-weather pitch on area of playing field land
Aston Villa Football Club Training Ground, Bodymoor, North Warwickshire—indoor pitch and block including changing facilities
Mr. Byrne: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the legal constraints are on developing sites within an area designated as a green belt wedge within a unitary development plan for community and recreational uses; and what the process is for seeking to revise planning consents for such an initiative. [197237]
Keith Hill: Development proposals are subject to the provisions of planning legislation. Most new development requires planning permission. It is for the local planning authority in the first instance to determine planning applications. Section 38 (6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that planning applications shall be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
In preparing their development plan the local planning authority should have regard to national Planning Policy Guidance on Green Belts (PPG2). PPG2 makes clear that there is a general presumption against inappropriate development in the green belt, which should not be approved, except in very special circumstances. It is for the applicant to demonstrate that very special circumstances exist which clearly outweigh the harm that inappropriate development would cause to the green belt.
The construction of new buildings within a designated green belt is inappropriate development, except in certain circumstances as set in PPG2. For example, where the new buildings would provide essential facilities for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation, the development would not be inappropriate.
Once planning permission has been granted for a development, generally only the courts can set it aside. However, where outline planning permission has been granted for a new building, the applicant must still apply to the local planning authority for approval of the details of the scheme, known as reserved matters. In these circumstances, the authority may attach conditions to the consent covering details such as siting and design. What is proposed in detail must be consistent with the outline permission. Otherwise a fresh application will need to be made.
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