2.

asked the Minister for Regional Development what proposals he is currently considering to improve the roads infrastructure necessary to support (a) present and proposed housing; and (b) industrial development, in Ballyclare and its surrounding villages.

(AQO 1331/01)

The regional development strategy for Northern Ireland, which was agreed by the Assembly, identifies Ballyclare as one of the seven towns that will expand to meet the housing need in the Belfast metropolitan area. However, the strategy also recognises that it will be necessary to require developers to bear the costs of infrastructure works required to facilitate their development proposals, and that the promotion of transportation alternatives to the private car will also play a major role.

As regards current and future transport needs, my Department is developing the Belfast metropolitan transport plan, which I hope will be completed by the end of this financial year. It will inform the Belfast metropolitan area plan, which is being developed by the Planning Service. The transport plan will provide a long-term vision for transport in the Belfast metropolitan area, including the Ballyclare area, and it will co-ordinate the implementation of transportation initiatives until 2015.

The lines of two major road schemes in Ballyclare have been protected under the current area plan, which also identifies housing and industrial development in the town. The first scheme is a proposed link road between the Ballynure to Templepatrick road and the Ballyclare to Doagh road, with the purpose of easing congestion at the lower end of Main Street. The second proposed scheme, which will probably be led by developers, will link Doagh Road to Rashee Road. The schemes will be reviewed by the Belfast metropolitan transport plan, but if either is needed to support a development, the developer may have to contribute to it, in full or in part, depending on the outcome of the transport assessment.

Does the Minister share my view that, where supporting road or sewerage infrastructure is not of an acceptable standard, as is the case in the Ballyclare area, his Department should advise the Planning Service to ban housebuilding in the town and surrounding villages until the necessary infrastructure is in place?

I am sure that my Department consults closely with the Planning Service on such issues. I have experience of the conundrum that the Member referred to. In my constituency, significant land was zoned for development, but the necessary infrastructure was not provided until after the houses were built. Timing is an issue; however, if a development results in additional traffic or requires additional water infrastructure, the developer should provide the necessary infrastructure.

Is the Minister aware of an article on the front page of tonight's 'Belfast Telegraph' about the A8, one of the main arterial routes, and will he comment on the story?

I am aware of the inaccurate articles in the 'Belfast Telegraph'. The headline on the front page states:

The report in question claims nothing of the sort. The claim that the upgrade was futile came from the so-called Friends of the Earth. The First Minister referred to inaccurate headlines in the 'Belfast Telegraph' - there are two tonight. The headline on page three states:

The report does not say that either; it says that some might argue that it is a breach of the rules, but it also sets out all the reasons why it is not. The articles contain a highly selective consideration of the report. It is only a draft report, and, when it is available in full, I will be happy to make it available to the Committee for Regional Development.

I heard several Members remark, sotto voce, about newspapers in the Chamber. I refer the House to the advice on Chamber etiquette in Standing Orders:

and

On this occasion the bringing in of newspapers was in order, as they were quoted from briefly - although I remember other occasions on which that was not the case.

3.

asked the Minister for Regional Development if he has any plans to improve the reliability of parking meters in Belfast.

(AQO 1336/01)

Pay-and-display parking machines, which were introduced in Belfast in 1987, have come to the end of their useful economic lives.

The Roads Service is installing new machines in the city centre. To date, some 110 new machines are in place, and a further 50 will be provided by the end of the summer. Each machine has a communications link to a central parking office. That enables the machine to report any faults automatically, thus allowing necessary repairs or maintenance work to be carried out as quickly as possible.

I thank the Minister for his response. I noticed in the media at the end of last week an indication that Northern Ireland is at the cutting edge of technology, with the introduction of new parking meters. Could the Minister outline the benefits that will result following this introduction of new technology?

Northern Ireland is taking a lead, not only in the United Kingdom but much further afield. Many vandalised or broken parking meters remain out of operation for a long time, and revenue to the Northern Ireland block is lost. The scheme uses SIM (subscriber identity module) card technology - as do the mobile phones that are occasionally heard ringing in the Chamber - so that the central office knows automatically when payments are made at a machine. As a result, only small sums of money are ever left in a parking meter, because it can be emptied when required. That removes the incentive to break into it. It also helps the Department to plan its collection of money. In addition, the machines accept credit cards, and therefore they will contain less money anyway.

The Minister recently said that he intended to decriminalise parking offences in Belfast and to civilianise the enforcement of parking regulations. What discussions has he had with his counterparts in Great Britain about their experiences of wheel-clamping in urban areas?

That is not a matter of choice for the Department, because the police have indicated their eagerness to give up their role as regards parking. Some might argue that they gave it up some time ago. Parking offences must be dealt with, so the Department will become responsible for the matter. Legislation will have to be passed by the Assembly. The Department has discussed the issue with the police, and departmental officials are talking to authorities elsewhere in the United Kingdom about their experiences. Northern Ireland is the only region of the United Kingdom that has not already decriminalised parking offences.

5.

asked the Minister for Regional Development, in relation to the draft walking strategy, to outline (a) the targets he is proposing for the promotion of the activity of walking; and (b) the measures that are being put in place to ensure that those targets are achieved.

(AQO 1328/01)

The Department's draft walking strategy is still at a preparatory stage. However, consideration is being given to the setting of targets in the draft strategy, aimed at increasing the number of short walking journeys - that is to say, those of less than one mile - and the average distance walked annually by each person. Consideration is also being given to the inclusion of targets linked to the Department's regional transportation strategy as regards the provision of infrastructure and the promotion of walking. It is proposed that the draft strategy will contain around 80 "planned actions"; those are a series of initiatives and practical measures that will contribute to the achievement of targets and will be assigned to key stakeholders with the aim of delivering improvements for pedestrians. The "planned actions" fall under the headings of design, planning, safety, improving existing routes, walking for health, walking for leisure, tourism and marketing. The Department hopes to publish the strategy later this year.

I thank the Minister for his detailed answer. It is an important subject, especially for those who wish to start walking to work, and for schoolchildren. 'Investing for Health', published in November 2000, and with targets for April 2001, contains the Department for Regional Development's commitments as regards support and investment in health. When does the Minister envisage that those targets will be met?

I am delighted that Sinn Féin has a walking strategy. I hope that Orangemen in various parts of the Province will gain from the additional miles that they will be able to walk as part of that strategy.

The regional transportation strategy is expected to come to the Assembly before the summer recess, and the Northern Ireland walking strategy will be published later this year. Those two documents will consider the walking strategy and any targets that might be relevant to it.

I am glad that the Minister has noted the change in Sinn Féin's attitude towards walking. It is nice to see that there has been a change of heart, and that Sinn Féin now wishes to promote walking in Northern Ireland.

Given that much traffic congestion, especially in cities, occurs at the start and finish of the school day, what plans does the Minister have for safer walking routes to schools so that schoolchildren can avail of that option as opposed to having to use either public or private transport?

That issue was discussed with officials and interest groups within the past few days. Due to the lengthy period of civil disturbance, many people thought it was safer to leave their children to school by car, even for very short journeys. The community needs to feel confident that the troubles are behind us. Until there is clear evidence of that, it will be hard to convince some people that they should choose walking as an alternative to taking their children to school by car.

Traffic-calming measures are an incentive for walking. The regional transportation strategy envisages a significant increase in the number of traffic-calming schemes, which would reduce the danger for people walking.

6.

asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the number of dual carriageway miles in Counties Tyrone and Fermanagh; and to make a statement.

(AQO 1339/01)

There are 7·9 miles of motorway and 1·7 miles of dual carriageway in Counties Tyrone and Fermanagh. The majority of trunk roads in those counties are single-carriageway roads, which can cope adequately with the volume of traffic on those routes.

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. I welcome the fact that the Minister and Sammy Wilson referred to Sinn Féin by its correct title, without any appendage, in the previous answer, and I thank them.

The Minister will appreciate that Tyrone and Fermanagh depend heavily on roads infrastructure, because there is no rail network. The figures of 7·9 miles of motorway and 1·7 miles of dual carriageway speak for themselves and show historic underinvestment. Can the Minister deliver a real commitment to increasing the number of dual carriageway and motorway miles in Tyrone and Fermanagh? A good start would be the roads from Dungannon to Ballygawley, Ballygawley to Omagh and Omagh to Strabane on the major arterial route, the A5, which carries much cross-border traffic.

One of the first council visits that I made as Minister was to Fermanagh District Council. As someone who represents the east of the Province, I was struck by the feelings of councillors from all parties who were present that the area had been given a very raw deal because money for roads went to where the traffic was heaviest, which is largely in the east of the Province. I said that it was necessary for us to examine the criteria under which we operate and to consider whether those criteria were fair, because funding based on those criteria could mean that there might never be new roads to the west of the Province.

Arising from the draft regional transportation strategy, I tasked my officials with reconsidering how we could start to provide stepped improvements. They will consider issues of affordability, priority and innovative procurement mechanisms with the regional transportation strategy team. In that context, issues such as the road between Dungannon and Ballygawley, which would be the outworking of such a policy, will be examined. I am seeking to do something more innovative than that which was laid out in the draft regional transportation strategy, and when the strategy is put before the Assembly, Members will see that the tweaking has made some difference.

Will the Minister indicate to the House - particularly for the benefit of the IRA/Sinn Féin Member for West Tyrone - whether criteria exist for the construction of dual carriageways and motorways in Northern Ireland?

The manual indicates that, in general, a dual carriageway may be viable where more than 11,000 vehicles per day use a road: a similar volume of traffic applies when the viability of a motorway is being considered. The type of traffic and the extent to which the volume per day exceeds that figure must be examined. The availability of finance to carry out the work is also a factor.

The regional transport strategy will become a central element, and should the Assembly accept the strategy, it will envisage a significant increase in the amount of money available for roads and public transport schemes in Northern Ireland. Only by adopting such a scheme will we be able to meet the expectations of many district councillors and MLAs.

The Minister is well aware of my view - through the Committee for Regional Development and the Chamber - that key regional transportation corridors should be dual carriageways. However, I understand the financial constraints.

Furthermore, the Minister will understand that the north-western and eastern areas of Northern Ireland have rail services, whereas the south-west does not. In rural areas, the nature of the vehicles involved is a major factor affecting average journey times. In that context, is the Minister considering the extension of the motorway to Ballygawley, or at least to the edge of West Tyrone? None of the 8·4 miles of motorway or dual carriageway mentioned are in that area.

It is very easy to look at the road infrastructure on a map of Northern Ireland and see where significant improvements could be made. The guiding principle in the regional transportation strategy is that proposals must be earthed in reality: we must be capable of delivering them and, essentially, that means that the funding for schemes must be available.

I agree that strategic road corridors must be investigated first: many of them feed into the west of the Province. Improvements can be made - in some cases that will involve dual carriageways; in other cases different improvements can help. We must pay most attention to strategic road corridors. That principle was enunciated in the regional development strategy, which was the mother document of the regional transportation strategy.

7.

asked the Minister for Regional Development what measures he is taking to address the level of leakage in Northern Ireland's water supply system.

(AQO 1329/01)

The Water Service has a strategy in place to identify, manage and control leakage in the water distribution system. The main elements are the installation and monitoring of district meters, pressure management schemes and leak detection and repair. Over the past four years, £22 million has been invested in leakage reduction measures. Approximately half of that was invested in setting up the essential leakage management infrastructure, including district meters and telemetry.

A further £25 million will be invested over the next four years. As the leakage infrastructure is well advanced, 80% of that expenditure will go directly to detecting and repairing leaks. The aim is to achieve the economic level of leakage by 2006.

Does the Minister concede that water leakage of 37% is unacceptable and costly? Given that the water resource strategy identified serious supply difficulties in the western area in 2000, with demand exceeding supply by six million litres a day, what action is the Department taking to address the infrastructure difficulties that are especially relevant to Counties Tyrone and Fermanagh, and the western half of County Derry?

The level of leakage is unacceptable, and that is why the Department has allocated increased funding. The leakage is the result of the ageing infrastructure, which is the legacy of years of neglect under direct rule. Nonetheless, we must make changes through leakage detection and remedial action to improve the infrastructure. Other changes will result from the water resource strategy, which the Department has submitted to the Committee for Regional Development. I hope to introduce that strategy to the Assembly soon by way of a take-note debate. As part of the water resource strategy, the Department will consider the issues, such as how it can meet any deficits between existing water supply and usage, to which Mr Byrne referred.

Will the Minister clarify what the leakage figure is? Mr Byrne quoted a figure of 37%, but I understood it to be more in the region of 33%. Does the figure change between night-time and daytime? Does the level of leakage reduce when the system is used more during the day? What proposals does the Minister have to fill the funding gap that will be left by improving the infrastructure?

It is difficult to be precise about the percentage figure. The Department does not dare to refer to the lost water as leakage, although that is the common parlance. It is known as "unaccounted-for water", and it is unaccounted for because no domestic metering takes place. Given that the Department knows how much water leaves the reservoirs, but does not know how much is used by domestic consumers, assessments are made. Whether the figure is 33% or 37% - I have even heard it estimated at 40% - is a matter of conjecture. However, the level is unacceptable and the problem must be addressed.

The new telemetry will allow the Department to more accurately assess the areas in which leakage occurs, the amount of leakage and the time of day at which it takes place. I hope to be in a better position to answer the more detailed questions at a later stage.

Mr Byrne managed to ask several questions. To answer his final one, the Department estimates that £3 billion will be needed over the next 20 years for infrastructural requirements for water and sewerage services. A similar amount will be required for roads and transportation. Therefore, there are significant infrastructural requirements, and the Assembly can make a good start towards addressing those by ceasing to spend up to £150 million a year on bureaucratic extravagance. Instead, that amount could be used to service a loan of around £2 billion that could really help water and road services.

I congratulate the Minister on his in-depth knowledge of leaks. After the publication of the Public Accounts Committee's report, has he reviewed his target of an anticipated reduction in water leakage of between 3% and 7% to the more challenging figure of 15%?

I regret to say that the time is up. I shall have to ask the Minister to reply in writing to the Member.

Environment

I wish to inform Members that question 1, standing in the name of Mr Arthur Doherty, has been transferred to the Minister for Regional Development and will receive a written answer. Question 9, standing in the name of Mrs Annie Courtney, has been transferred to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and will also receive a written answer.

2.

asked the Minister of the Environment what steps are being taken to ensure that information supplied by applicants when seeking planning permission is genuine and correct.

(AQO 1346/01)

It is in the interests of applicants and the public to have the correct details when submitting a planning application; any inaccuracies may lead to delays in processing the application. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that accurate information on the four key areas is supplied, namely: the address of the application site; the description of the proposal; the completion of the P2 certificate regarding legal interest in the application site; and the details of notifiable neighbours. To assist in the correct completion of application forms, explanatory notes on applying for planning permission and notes for completing the main application form, P1, are supplied with an application pack. Further advice and assistance are also available from staff in the divisional planning office.

To further ensure the correctness of the information in the application form, the Planning Service carries out an initial validation to confirm that the forms have been completed properly and the correct fee submitted. Further checks on the information's accuracy are made during the planning officer's visit to the site. Representations made by third parties may also raise discrepancies in the applicant's information. If the information on the application form has to be revised in the interests of accuracy, it will be re-advertised in the press, and neighbours will be renotified.

In cases where inaccurate information has been furnished to the Department of the Environment, how determined is the Department to correct those inaccuracies? Are there sufficient enforcement staff in the Department to ensure that everyone gets a fair deal?

I will answer the second point first. The Assembly knows that the Department of the Environment has been viewed as somewhat of a Cinderella - funds have not been given to it in the past. However, additional funds have been supplied, there are more Planning Service officials in place, and, we trust, any shortfall has been improved. That is not to say that there is complacency or that we do not need more staff - quite the reverse. More staff may be needed. Indeed, we are looking at the whole process.

The Department of the Environment is determined to correct inaccuracies. All addresses and descriptions of applications are checked for accuracy when they go in the press. As well as that, all the neighbour notification names must be inserted, and if they are not, there will be delays. The forms must be accurate. Last week, a seminar on planning matters was conducted with the construction industry at which the results of a survey carried out by a private consultancy firm were discussed. One of the points that the survey mentioned was that the process was slow because accuracy had to be checked.

Therefore I remain convinced that the Department should insist on accuracy, and that inaccuracies cause delays.

When an applicant states that he owns a property, and the accuracy of that claim is challenged by the legal adviser of a neighbour, is it proper for the Department not only to consider and process, but to determine and approve an application for that ground?

Land ownership is important, but the term "legal interest" is more appropriate. Applicants must complete properly a P2 form where they must state their legal interest in the land. An applicant may or may not own the land, but he must declare that information. We do not check the accuracy of every form, but third parties have the opportunity to challenge applications, because they are publicly advertised. We endeavour to confirm the accuracy of the forms, but discrepancies and inaccuracies cause delays.

Is the information contained in objections to planning applications also checked and validated?

All elements are checked and validated, and, more generally, all elements are considered in determining planning applications. That applies across the spectrum of people who are officially consulted. The information provided during the planning process is validated, whether it be for an application or an objection to an application.

3.

asked the Minister of the Environment to make a statement on the threat to protected habitats and unique biological communities.

(AQO 1350/01)

A Northern Ireland countryside survey published by the Department of the Environment in November 2000 sets out the main changes in the countryside over a 10-year period up until 1998. It identified a loss of species-rich grassland and wetland habitats as one of the main trends during that time.

Using data from the survey, my Department's Environment and Heritage Service is developing several biodiversity action plans for important habitats and vulnerable species in Northern Ireland. The main means of protecting habitats and biological communities, as well as sites that are important for earth science conservation, is the declaration of Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs), under the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.

To date, the Department of the Environment has declared 196 ASSIs. Although most sites have remained in good condition following their declaration, there is evidence that some sites or parts of sites have been damaged, while others have deteriorated through neglect or inappropriate management. Weakness in the legislation has contributed to this situation. Following public consultation, the Department of the Environment has therefore been developing proposals to strengthen the legislation governing the protection and management of ASSIs. I recently circulated the proposals in the Executive, with a view to bringing a Bill before the Assembly in the next session.

Is the Minister satisfied with the level of cross-departmental co-operation aimed at providing the necessary resources to ensure protection - for example, farmers who may have difficulty in affording infrastructure on their farms? Also, will the Minister comment on the level of threat to protected habitats from other Government Departments?

There are two elements in a cross-departmental aspect to farming. One is the farmers, and the other is the cross-departmental nature. There is cross-departmental co-operation, and I referred to this previously when I talked about working with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Bríd Rodgers. We have written and oral contact about what needs to be done, and when I had discussions with the Ulster Farmers' Union, Ms Rodgers and I apprised each other.

With respect to the farming community, I am conscious that this aspect needs to be fostered. From the point of ownership of the land, 4,500 farmers or developers are responsible for the ASSIs they occupy, and we need their co-operation to manage ASSIs effectively. In bringing forward these proposals, we are trying to bring a balance in greater regulation and trying to get help in managing the ASSIs better. I am aware that farmers will be financially compensated for managing ASSIs. We must satisfy a Programme for Government commitment, which is to have a policy and a legislative framework for protecting and managing areas in place by July 2003.

We are always mindful of what other Government Departments do. I have mentioned the example of the Department of Agriculture and co-operation with it.

Will the Minister detail what action he is planning to take in response to the report of the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group?

The Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group presented its report in October 2000 and made 76 recommendations for biodiversity conservation up to and including the year 2016. Other Departments are discussing this document - and therein is a further answer to the last question - and we anticipate publishing the final document in June. We are not complacent, and action is already under way in the Department with respect to the Irish hare and the curlew, because they are rare species. There will also be the implementation of an action plan by the Department between 2002 and 2005 on those recommendations that fall within its remit. We are responding, and we are dealing with other Departments as well.

What provision is there in the present system for landowners or farmers who wish to construct a building or a house to ensure the long-term viability of a farm holding that could be subject to protective habitats and unique biological communities?

The farming sector is important, and it is important for the management of protected landscapes and areas of special scientific interest that farmers agree with what we wish to do. The aspects raised by Mr Shannon are discussed as and when they arise. However, for the third time in answer to this question, I stress that I recognise the importance of the farming community and the contribution it makes to the agrifood industry in Northern Ireland and to the protection of ASSIs.

There are currently 196, but it is anticipated that a further 200 may be needed when the review is complete. We will need the agriculture industry to work with us and complement our work to protect agriculture and areas of special scientific interest.

4.

asked the Minister of the Environment what assessment he has made in relation to the areas he visited and planning issues he discussed during his private ministerial visit to North Down on Friday 26 April 2002; and to make a statement.

(AQO 1356/01)

My visit to north Down on Friday 26 April 2002 formed part of my ministerial duties. Its purpose was to hear at first hand the concerns of representatives of local conservation and residents' groups about the Planning Service's decisions on residential developments in Bangor, Holywood, Helen's Bay and Donaghadee. The issues discussed related to concerns about loss of character in high-quality residential areas; the increase in apartment development; unsuccessful enforcement action; and a request for conservation area status from one group. The visit was helpful in highlighting the areas of concern, and I will pursue these in the normal manner.

I thank the Minister for his informative reply. It was interesting because other constituency Members have been working on all those areas for years. The information gained from that visit and from the Minister's answer will be worthwhile for all of us.

Will the Minister explain the difference between a ministerial visit and a private ministerial visit? Is the inclusion of publicity a factor, and what protocols apply to that? If that were clear, perhaps interested MLAs from the same area - other than those from the Minister's own party - might also attend. [Interruption]. That is true.

That is out of order.

It is not out of order.

I am glad that Mrs Bell has clarified what is probably the true reason for asking the question. Other constituency Members have been working for years on the points that I have been dealing with. There is nothing unusual about that.

Mrs Bell asked about the difference between a ministerial visit and a private ministerial visit. I note that she used the word "private", not I. I keep apprised of what happens in the media. One of the papers said that it was an informal visit. Let me put it clearly on the record: I was accompanied at the meeting by my private secretary and by the planning officer for that area. I have met delegations in my office before - some from one party, some from several parties - and I have dealt with specific issues in a specific area. On none of those occasions were all Members present nor all parties represented. Not only -[Interruption].

Order.

It is all right, Mr Deputy Speaker; I am a tolerant person. I assure the Member that this is not the first time that I have met a delegation on site, nor will it be the last. I go where I can as time permits. I prefer to describe it as an on-site office meeting.

Let me also stress that I will not tolerate the use or abuse of my ministerial position by any MLA. I have written to one MLA and made clear to him the impact of the statement that he issued.

I walk a tight line; I must be fully cognisant of the circumstances before I reach any decision.

Therefore I must decide when, where or how I gather that information. I am satisfied with what I did. I resent the comment that I was dealing differently with a Member from my party. That was not the case.

I wish to find out more about that meeting. I would appreciate information on the visits to Bangor, Holywood, Helen's Bay and Donaghadee. The Minister has given us some details; I want more specific information.

It is interesting that the Minister was information-gathering in order to make a decision. The request for conservation area status for Holywood is valuable for the group. Has the Minister made a decision on that, and if not, when will it be made? Did any other action points emerge from the visit?

Round two, Mr Deputy Speaker.

I may or may not have been information-gathering to make a decision. I said that I was gathering information for when I may make a decision. I was dealing with officials and issues on a site visit.

Ms Morrice asked about conservation areas, and they are important. All settlements in Northern Ireland have their own identity. I was in Holywood, which has its identity. I have visited Hillsborough, which has its identity. I have been to other places that have their identities. Each place has its own distinctive characteristic, which could be based on its architecture, history or layout. We must form an opinion, and if the buildings are listed buildings, they are likely to become conservation areas.

Others areas that would require a certain level of protection would become areas of townscape character. We must bear those important considerations in mind.

There is also the issue of apartments that are being built in towns. The planning process dictates that 60% of dwellings have to be built in towns. We apply a mixture of general principles to particular circumstances.

As someone who, along with other Assembly Members, was not invited to the meeting, I would be interested to find out more information on the concerns raised, and what the Minister intends to do about them.

What plans has the Minister to give teeth to the concept of townscape character? A major concern in north Down and elsewhere has been that his Department has issued stop notices and enforcement notices, but has not followed them up with court action when they have been ignored. What plans has he to reverse the previous practice of not enforcing those notices and to take the developers to court as an example to others?

The record may show, or Mr Weir may clarify, that he said that he was not invited to the meeting. How many times must I say that the meeting I held was similar to other meetings that I hold, in that a Member makes a request about an issue and attends along with other people? That could mean a Member from any party. That was not the only time I was on site, and it was with a Member who did not belong to the Ulster Unionist Party.

I do not like Mr Weir's innuendo that he was not invited to the meeting.

It is a statement of fact.

I note that it is a statement of fact. When I have a meeting dealing with planning applications, a general invitation does not go out to all MLAs in whose constituency the area concerned is. That is protocol, and that is what happens.

On the Member's second point about enforcement, we are bringing forward the planning (amendment) Bill, which will have enforcement powers. I wish to see stronger enforcement powers. I want those powers to be implemented for the benefit of all, so that no one in Northern Ireland will be under the illusion that planning can be flouted in a cavalier way.

5.

asked the Minister of the Environment whether he has any plans to restrict the opportunity for apartment development on the sites of family homes in South Belfast; and to make a statement.

(AQO 1357/01)

I am aware of concerns about the growth of apartment developments on such sites in south Belfast. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the demand for small unit housing, including apartments. My Department has been seeking to clarify the planning policy context for dealing with those proposals.

The Member will be aware that the regional development strategy seeks to promote more sustainable forms of development through a two-pronged approach of encouraging compact urban forms and promoting more housing in existing urban areas. New residential development can, however, threaten local character and identity. The strategy also requires that densification should be achieved without town cramming - the forcing of overdeveloped and unsympathetic housing schemes into established residential areas.

Planning policy for housing is set out in my Department's Planning Policy Statement 7 (PPS 7) 'Quality Residential Environments'. That statement requires developers to provide high-quality housing proposals on both brownfield and greenfield sites that are sympathetic to the character of an area, in order to avoid a level of intensification that can adversely affect local townscape character and identity. Sensitive judgements are required so that the correct balance is achieved between ensuring that proposals are sympathetic to their context, and have respect for local amenities, and seeking to achieve the target in the regional development strategy of increasing housing provision in existing urban areas.

Particular sensitivity is required in the primarily residential parts of conservation areas, and in areas of townscape character, where planning policy is to grant proposals involving intensification of site usage only in exceptional circumstances. PPS 7 also points out that the demolition of property will not create a presumption that permission for far more intensive and high-density development will be granted.

My Department has also issued draft supplementary planning guidance in the form of Development Control Advice Note 8, 'Small Unit Housing. New Development in Existing Residential Areas', which it intends to publish in final form in the near future. That document provides more detailed guidance on proposals for small unit housing in existing urban areas. Although it does not set policy, it gives guidance to developers on the physical form of housing development, including apartments, and on the relationship with surrounding properties.

I thank the Minister for his lengthy statement; it certainly clarifies many matters. Does he agree that the conservation area announced last year by his predecessor, Sam Foster, does not seem to have stopped the rot? The announcement of a conservation area in such a large area of south Belfast was very welcome. However, developments - and the threat of large developments - are still taking place.

Only last week, there was publicity surrounding a house in Ashley Avenue that was previously occupied by the poet Séamus Heaney. That house appears to have been left to rot and decay to the point where it will be demolished and replaced by an unsuitable block of flats. I am sure that the Minister has seen many of the sites in south Belfast, but I would be glad to invite him to inspect that site, either with or without my being present. There is a major issue to be resolved, as was highlighted by the case of Séamus Heaney's former house in Ashley Avenue last week.

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