Blog

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the progress of repairs to the Loyn Bridge in Gressingham in the Lune Valley in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency.

Andrew Jones

Progress in respect to the repairs to the Loyn Bridge following damage caused by the winter storms is entirely a matter for Lancashire County Council as local highway authority. The Department for Transport ‎has provided £5 million funding to the Council and they will undertake repairs to the bridge as soon as practicable.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress his Department is making on the Enterprise Zones applied for by the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership; and if he will make a statement.

James Wharton

My rt hon. Friend, the Chancellor announced the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership’s successful bid for a new Enterprise Zone at Hillhouse as part of the 2015 Autumn Statement. This followed approval of the business case for the Blackpool Enterprise Zone which was announced on 12 November 2015.

Regulations are being laid for both Enterprise Zones to enable them to offer business rate discounts and enhanced capital allowances from April 2016. The new Enterprise Zones complement the existing Lancashire Local Enterprise Zone which covers sites at Warton and Samlesbury.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether he has been notified of any funding applications from Lancaster City Council for the West End of Morecambe; and what information his Department holds on progress being made on (a) the Chatsworth Gardens project and (b) any other new housing projects in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency.

Brandon Lewis

The Chatsworth Gardens project, known as West End One, is a flagship private rent project involving refurbishing and remodelling 27 empty properties to create 51 (1, 2, 3, & 4-bed) homes. Work on site commenced in early 2015 and, to date, ten 4-bedroom houses have been completed. The project is supported by £8.3 million of funding from the Homes and Communities Agency and £1.9 million of empty homes funding.

The next release of new homes is expected later this month, with completion of all units by Autumn 2016. West End Two, the adjacent site is to follow on directly creating a further 50 homes for private rent.

The Department does not collect data on all housing developments across the country, but 13 developments, either completed since 2014 or are currently on site, across the Lancaster City Council area have received Social Housing Grant via the Homes and Communities Agency, totalling £8.0 million and are providing a total of 231 new affordable homes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many planning applications for new homes or conversions of existing buildings have been made in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency since June 2015.

Brandon Lewis

The Department does not collect information on the number of planning applications by parliamentary constituency.

However it collects the numbers of decisions made at a local planning authority level. In the six months to 31 December 2015 Lancaster City Council, within which the hon, Member’s constituency falls, has made decisions on applications for:

– 18 major residential developments

– 27 minor residential developments

– Permitted development rights for one ‘office to residential’ scheme and nine ‘agricultural to residential’ schemes

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the application for a Lancashire combined authority; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Department has to date not received any applications for a Lancashire Combined Authority. To make such an application an area must, in accordance with the provisoins of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 1999, as amended by the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016, undertake a gvoernance review for the area and also publish a scheme setting out propsals for a Combined Authority. They must also undertake a public consultation on these proposals and provide a summary of these proposals to the Secretary of State.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Morris on 2016-03-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many Government-sponsored new social and council houses were built between (a) 1997 and 2010 and (b) 2010 and 2016.

Brandon Lewis

The numbers of dwellings completed by houisng associations and local authorities in England between 1997 and 2015 were as follows:

Statistics on new build housing starts and completions in England, and in each local authority district, are published on the Department’s website at:

http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building