News Release : 16 April 2004

ASSEMBLY LAUNCHES DEBATE ON THE REGION’S FUTURE

THE SOUTH EAST ENGLAND REGIONAL ASSEMBLY IS LAUNCHING THE DEBATE on its 20-year vision for the region. The first stage of the process is to hold ‘Spring Debates’ - a range of workshops - throughout the region which will feed into the preparation of the South East Plan, the region’s spatial strategy that will look ahead to 2026.

With the opening of the debate, the Regional Assembly is launching today a dedicated website on the South East Plan – www.southeast-ra.gov.uk/southeastplan which covers information on the preparation of the Plan, consultation programme, workshop information and dates.

The South East Plan will update Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9) and set out how we can make best use of space and resources in the South East to ensure the region continues to be economically successful but in a more sustainable manner. It will have a broader scope than RPG9 and will become statutory.

Debates around the region
The Assembly has prepared eleven discussion papers which will be debated at 18 workshops for a wide range of groups between 15 April and 21 May in locations around the South East. Assembly members gave their initial input into the discussion papers at their meeting last week.

Councillors, community groups, businesses, voluntary, environmental and social representatives have been invited to the workshops to give their views on a range of key issues to help develop a draft plan prior to the full public consultation early next year. The issues for the workshops cover housing, transport, social issues, natural resources, projections and forecasts, economy and employment and sub-regions.

Councillor Nick Skellett, Chair of the South East England Regional Assembly said: “These workshops will provide a good opportunity for a wide range of groups to respond on key issues prior to the preparation of the draft document for formal consultation early next year. These series of workshops will help set the tone for the South East Plan.
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The Plan is an important piece of work that will affect everyone in the region so this is an exciting period. We are looking forward to creating a clear vision for our region that will maintain our position as a lead region in the UK and improve our quality of life.

“We invite everyone to comment on the issues and papers via our South East Plan website by the end of May and hope that with the new site we can engage more people in this important process.”


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Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Alex Butlin, PR Executive - 01483 555221


Notes to editors:

  1. The South East Plan will be 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.
  2. The workshops are by invitation only and these invitations were sent out in March. If you have any questions about the workshops and the invitations please call the Assembly Secretariat on 01483 555200 or email secretariat@southeast-ra.gov.uk
  3. The workshop discussion papers are available on this site. People can comment on the papers until 28 May 2004 by writing to the Assembly.
  4. The new planning system will replace the present system of structure plans and local plans, the South East Plan together with local development frameworks will in future make up the statutory development plan for each area.
  5. The 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 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.

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