News Release : 02 February 2005

SUBURBS NEED TO REACH THEIR POTENTIAL

Suburban neighbourhoods in the South East have been neglected and are in need of better and more sustainable management if they are to fulfil their potential, says new research for the South East England Regional Assembly.

Research shows that town and city centres are beginning to benefit from proactive planning and investment in the past decades, but some suburbs have suffered.

Key concerns are that communities have experienced poorly designed development, increasing reliance on the car, decline in local shopping centres and a lack of community services and infrastructure to meet needs. The Assembly has now addressed these concerns in new policies on suburban management, design and infrastructure in the South East Plan.

Five case studies in the South East show that suburbs would benefit if we plan for better design of new development, a wider choice of housing, more community facilities and better phasing of infrastructure to achieve more sustainable communities.

Further research on suburban property markets underpins that a proactive planning approach would enable councils to deliver higher quality development. This could generate investment in local environment or infrastructure but it also means that councils, agencies and their partners need to have a more positive approach to suburbs.

“There is a real opportunity in some suburbs to improve the quality of life”, says Councillor Nick Skellett, Chair of the South East England Regional Assembly. “I hope the research will help more areas to fulfil their potential.”
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Opportunities could arise for new suburban centres by developing mixed-use redevelopment or intensification of under-utilised industrial estates or business parks. New sustainable forms of suburban development need to be part of the region’s future, which is why suburban management is included in the draft South East Plan.

Research recommends three actions to include in the South East Plan:

• Encourage local authorities to plan proactively by using for example Area Action Plans
• Support Neighbourhood Management Schemes in suburbs where the service provision and delivery are an issue
• Identify new local funding mechanisms.
  

Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Head of Communications - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. The research by URBED and FPD Savills can be viewed in the Urban Renaissance section
2. Mike Gwilliam, Director of Planning and Transport at the Assembly will be presenting the research on Tuesday 1 February at the Delivering Sustainable Communities Summit. ‘Spreading the benefits of town and city centre renewal’, 1.15-2.15pm, Banqueting Room, Manchester Town Hall
3. The draft South East Plan can be viewed on the dedicated website.
4. The South East Plan is a document setting regional priorities and guiding the production of local plans and strategies on critical issues affecting all of us, such as housing, transport, waste and development. It will also help share best practice between different areas of the region that face similar problems and cover the period to 2026. The Plan will impact on the whole South East, which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire and Surrey.
5. 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.
6. 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).
7. 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