Milton Keynes is on track to become the region's biggest city with over 300,000 (1) residents by 2031, the South East England Regional Assembly told this week's Examination in Public hearings into the South East Plan - a 20 year planning vision for the region.

The Assembly's Plan, developed in conjunction with the region's local authorities, sets a clear strategic framework for the growth of Milton Keynes providing greater certainty for investment in critical local infrastructure. As a Government designated Growth Area, Milton Keynes and surroundings will see 48,850 new homes, 30% of them affordable, and 48,850 jobs in the next 20 years. Investment in transport improvements will be essential to support growth:

• Improving Milton Keynes' bus services and park and ride
• Delivering high quality public transport improving services between the east and west, and north and south eg East-West rail services between Oxford and Milton Keynes
• Reducing road congestion in the southern part of Milton Keynes.

Cllr Keith Mitchell, Chairman of the Assembly, said:

"Milton Keynes is entering a new phase of long-term growth becoming the biggest city in the South East, comparable to the size of Cardiff. We have the framework, so the next challenge is to deliver the planned economic and cultural development, backed up by infrastructure to make that growth sustainable. This will need long-term investment in public transport, schools, health and other local services."

Aylesbury Vale

Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale together make up a sub-region in the South East Plan and are part of a wider strategy for Milton Keynes and the South Midlands. The Assembly's South East Plan aims to deliver regeneration in the centre of Aylesbury, aiming to attract knowledge-based business and enhance the area's environment. Aylesbury Vale could see an increase of 21,200 jobs in the next 20 years. Aylesbury town will see 16,800 new homes including 40% affordable and 4,400 homes for the rest of the district.

Topics at the hearing in Reading Town Hall, Reading:

• Tuesday 6 March
  Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale, focusing on growth for Milton Keynes
• Thursday 15 March and Friday 16 March (morning)
  Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale, focusing on strategy.

For more information about the hearings, please see the South East Plan website.

(1) Milton Keynes population estimate 218,500 in 2005. Source: Milton Keynes and South Midlands Annual Monitoring Report 2005/06.

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. What is the South East Plan?
   It sets a framework for how the region needs to change through to 2026 - for example to provide the jobs, homes and environmental protection that will make sure we continue to be economically successful and offer all residents a good quality of life. The Plan is based on evidence gathered over three years, with significant input from councils, businesses and community organisations and extensive public comments.
2. Examination in Public
   Four months of public hearings, which started on 28 November 2006, will examine the Assembly's South East Plan. A panel of three independent planning inspectors will hear views on the Plan's content from organisations in the region before making recommendations to Government about any changes they think may be needed.
3. Facts and figures about the Examination in Public
4. The Assembly's statements
5. The South East England 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 Regional Assembly is made up of 112 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) as well as the New Forest National Park Authority.
7. The Assembly has four key roles:
• Advocacy – pressing the South East’s interests in London and Brussels.
• Accountability – scrutinising the plans and performance of regional bodies such as SEEDA to align the region’s priorities.
• Regional planning – preparing and delivering the South East Plan - the 20-year statutory plan for the region that sets the framework for the sustainable development of the South East.
• Regional policy – advising Government on the co-ordination of regional strategies and spending priorities for housing, transport, planning and economic development to improve the impact of public expenditure.

Our vision is for a distinctive, outward-looking, accessible region of prosperous, sustainable communities, with a high quality of life and environment.

Last updated: 21 August 2007