MINISTER BACKS PREPARATION OF REGIONAL PLAN FOR THE SOUTH EAST

YVETTE COOPER, PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, gave the ODPM’s full support to the launch of work on the South East England Regional Assembly’s 25-year development framework – the Regional Spatial Strategy - at a major urban conference in Portsmouth last Thursday.

MP Yvette Cooper stated that the new programme should be focussed on improving our quality of life and needs to sustain economic development. "I would like to thank the Regional Assembly and the Government Office for all the work they have already put into preparing the review of the region's spatial strategy.

"It is important that we have all the key players together to share ideas and look to the future. Time is at a premium, but there is widespread support for the Communities Plan, and many of the key messages will form the bedrock of your new Regional Spatial Strategy." Cooper added that the Government is taking a co-ordinated approach so all departments can work coherently and within an efficient infrastructure.

The conference, which was jointly organised by the Regional Assembly and the Government Office for the South East, was attended by 160 representatives from local authorities, businesses, social and voluntary sector. They identified key issues for further planning in workshop sessions. Key issues to take into account are:

• Growth areas should be employment led;
  
  
• More investment in transport, public services and schools is crucial for the successful delivery of the Communities Plan and new ways of funding that investment are urgently needed;
  
  
• Affordable housing is needed throughout the region, not just in the growth areas.

Mike Gwilliam, South East England Regional Assembly’s Director of Planning and Transport said: "We had a robust set of discussions and debates, and successfully drew out the challenges of this new long-term planning strategy. It is important to have commitment and engagement from all regional stakeholders and the Government. The Regional Spatial Strategy will provide a framework for physical change and development for the next 25 years and will need to focus much of that development in the urban areas.

"Attendees identified what made for successful towns or cities and came up with an interesting list. Winchester, Aldershot and Milton Keynes were all cited within the region and, further afield, people named places such as Sienna, Barcelona and, surprisingly, Austin in Texas. Over the next few months we will follow up the issues in depth and undertake further consultation next spring. "

Electronic Voting Survey
The Assembly held an electronic voting survey at the conference to identify issues for urban planning and the Regional Spatial Strategy. Key results of the survey demonstrated that 83% of the attendees believe that the towns of the South East are not ‘full up’ and over the next 20 years have the potential to provide a wider range of higher density mixed developments. This, however, must be supported by investment in infrastructure and services.

61% stated that it is desirable to live in urban areas while 63% believed that we face a serious housing crisis, particularly a lack of affordable housing and that the rate of the housing supply must be increased even if it means challenging some planning policy.

58 percent of attendees said ‘yes’ to looking at new regional growth areas in the South East, but 55% were against increasing the cost of longer distance commuting.

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