LORD ROOKER BACKS SOUTH MIDLANDS DEVELOPMENT PLANS

"The Milton Keynes and South Midlands sub-region is a large and important area for the greater South East of England and today marks a significant step in creating a more sustainable future for North Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, Luton, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire." This was the message from Lord Rooker, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, at the launch of the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Study.

The Milton Keynes and South Midlands Study was commissioned by a consortium of central, regional and local government bodies in the area and undertaken by a group of consultants- Roger Tym and Partners, Halcrow and Three Dragons. Its purpose is to prepare and assess a range of scenarios for long-term sustainable growth in the study area.

Giving the keynote address at the launch, Lord Rooker said: "Regional Planning Guidance defined Milton Keynes and South Midlands as one of four areas of potential major growth in the greater South East. The Deputy Prime Minister subsequently asked the regional planning bodies in the area to look at the potential for growth over the next 30 years and the study being launched today is the result of this.

"I am pleased to see the generally positive conclusions of the consultants' study. I recognised that, as well as determining the precise scales of growth, there are a number of major infrastructure and organisational issues which need to be deal with in order to implement this study. My visit here today highlights the Government's commitment to tackling them. This agenda is central to us. We want to create new communities in this area and sustain existing ones over the next 10-15 years and beyond. I look forward to hearing the views of the three Regional Planning Bodies on the study."

Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Alex Butlin, PR Executive - 01483 555221

Notes to editors:

1. The Regional Assembly is the “voluntary regional chamber” for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
2. The Assembly is made up of 111 members including elected councillors nominated by the region’s local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations).
3. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
1. It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
2. The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
3. The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007