A CALL FOR ACTION ON SOUTH EAST COUNTRYSIDE

SOUTH EAST RURAL COMMUNITIES NEED TO EVOLVE so that by 2026 they will have diverse, energy efficient economies set in a well-managed and maintained countryside and supported by innovative forms of public services. This was one of the main conclusions of the recent Rural Vision Conference held at the Hop Farm Country Park in Kent.

The conference, which was jointly organised by the South East England Regional Assembly and the Government Office for the South East, debated a new vision for the region’s countryside to guide the work of the various regional agencies and other bodies. It would also contribute to the new Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East, currently being prepared by the Assembly.

Delegates heard that recent research had shown that rural diversification was successfully happening in many parts of the South East. Even so, a number of key issues were raised, including:

• The need to concentrate development in larger rural settlements but also to recognise the need for more affordable housing in smaller villages;
• Appreciating the region’s landscape has a very high value developed through centuries of managed care. It is important to acknowledge its value and devise policies that maintain this quality;
• Recognising that conventional rural public transport is difficult and expensive to provide in the South East, with its high rates of car ownership. Flexible and innovative schemes are therefore needed;
• A wider range of tourism accommodation is needed for a variety of markets;
• Farmers need to be better supported to improve marketing and diversify the goods they produce;
• Consumers need to be encouraged to change spending habits and give greater support to local food production.

One of the highlights of the conference was an interactive session where delegates were asked to vote after debating a series of key questions about rural areas and what they might be like in 2026. Although nearly all the delegates wanted to see diverse rural communities with more people living and working in villages and small communities, the majority felt this was unlikely actually to happen. There was also pessimism about the future prospects of farming. This was, however, tempered by delegates’ view that there are opportunities for farmers arising from climate change.

Lord Selborne, Chair of the conference and the South East Rural Affairs Forum (SERAF), said: "This conference has been an excellent opportunity for all those in the region who have an interest in preserving and growing these communities to agree what the rural South East needs to be like in 20 years. We now need to ensure that the Regional Spatial Strategy takes the issues raised on board and becomes a strategy for the development of the whole of our region."

The conference was attended by over 100 delegates from local authorities, rural action groups, business organisations, and regional and national organisations such as the Environment Agency, Countryside Agency and SEEDA.

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