To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 24 November 2009, Official Report, column 71W, on the Home and Communities Agency, how much the Homes and Communities Agency's predecessor bodies spent on acquiring the freehold to the Gateway site in Harlow; how much was spent on security for the site; and on what date the freehold was (a) bought by that predecessor body and (b) sold. (302952)

It is not possible to provide a precise figure or date for the completion of the Gateway site. It was part of a larger acquisition carried out prior to 1959, which was itself part of the land assembly to support the creation of Harlow New Town. To determine the precise date and cost of the acquisition of the freehold of this site would represent a disproportionate cost.

The Gateway site was disposed of in 2004 for the figure given in my previous answer. The freehold is being transferred on a plot by plot basis as units are completed. It has therefore been transferred on some of the land but not all.

Nothing was spent by either the HCA or its predecessor bodies on security for the site.