Planning: Brownfield Sites

Lord Shipley Excerpts

Thursday 21st July 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, a significant number of brownfield sites have already been assigned. Perhaps when we talk about brownfield sites there is an expectation that they will have seen heavy industrial usage. That may not be the case; it may simply be land that has been previously developed. That said, there are measures—not least land remediation relief from the Treasury—that will help where decontamination is an issue.

[Lord Shipley (LD)]

My Lords, last week the Economic Affairs Committee of your Lordships’ House produced a report entitled Building More Homes. One of its recommendations was:

“A senior Cabinet minister must be given overall responsibility for identifying and coordinating the release of public land for housing”.

Much of that public land is of course brownfield land. Does the Minister agree that that is a very wise recommendation?

[Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth]

My Lords, as the noble Lord will know, that report was received just over 10 days ago. The Government will take time to look at it and will then respond. It is clear that we need to address many of these issues. The noble Lord will know that a lot of public land is already being used for housing. I think I mentioned earlier this week that we have land in Dover, Chichester, Gosport and north of Cambridge, and there is more coming forward that will contribute to alleviating the housing situation. Much, although not all, of that land is on brownfield sites.