Affordable housing key to Government's vision for the South East » Environment » 24dash.com

A consultation on the South East vision to tackle climate change and flooding, address housing shortages and affordability, secure and strengthen the region's economy, provide essential infrastructure and enhance the environment, was launched by the Government today.

Following a thorough independent public examination Proposed Changes to the South East Plan have been published today for public consultation until October 24 2008. Views are welcomed.

Key elements of the draft Regional Spatial Strategy are:

• A 4% increase above the regional housing provision recommended by the Panel to address long term housing shortages and affordability issues people face in the region brings the total to 33,125 houses a year. In the South East the average age of a first time buyer in the region has risen to 33; the latest regional household projections forecast that 35,850 new households will form a year up to 2026 - over 70% of those will be single person households; and almost two thirds of the projected population growth will be people over 60.
• Affordable housing will make up 35% of the total housing provision - already there are over 200,000 households on council waiting lists and over 7,500 homeless households living in temporary accommodation in the region.
• 22 regional hubs have been identified as the focus for housing, economic growth and transport investment. New Growth Areas funding has already been allocated in Milton Keynes (£24m); Ashford, Kent (£22m) and New Growth Points in - Basingstoke (£5m), Didcot (£2.3m), Reading (£5.5m), Oxford (£5.5m), Maidstone (£5m), South Hampshire (£21m), Reigate and Banstead (£5.3m). Dover and Shoreham have also just been identified as New Growth Points and will now be eligible to bid for further growth funding.
• Plans to help tackle climate change and contribute to delivering our national renewable energy targets.
• Strategic flood risk assessments will ensure new development is delivered in a way that mitigates the threat of flooding. The proposed strategic development area south west of Reading has been removed because of concern about flood risks.
• Rebalancing the transport system to promote sustainable travel with a greater emphasis on management measures, together with upgrading international and inter-regional corridors, supporting regional hubs and urban renaissance, and improving accessibility.
• Strategies to maintain adequate water supply and quality, reduce waste and increase recovery and recycling.
• A co-ordinated approach to protect the Thames Basin Heaths and other key habitats from future development pressures including policies to conserve and enhance the National Park and areas of natural beauty. 80% of South East is still classified as rural.

Announcing the consultation, Communities Minister Parmjit Dhanda said: "The South East needs a long term development vision that addresses housing shortages, tackles the threat of climate change and strengthens the region's economy.

"Beyond the short term squeeze of the credit crunch the number of new households are still outgrowing the number of homes being built - first time buyers are getting older and more people are choosing to live alone.
"If more homes are not built now for the long term the housing ladder will get even further out of reach leaving the next generation with nowhere to live."

"The proposals in this plan set out the vision for the South East's future. It is important that local views and all who are interested in the future development of the area take this opportunity to comment on the proposed plan."

After considering views received during this consultation a final revision of the Regional Spatial Strategy will then be published.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England was quick to respond to the consultation document.

CPRE South East Director, Edward Dawson said: "Housing something like a million people over the next 20 years in the South East may be a challenge too far.

"We are concerned about the sheer scale of the development proposed, and its impact on the countryside and quality of life.

"Of course, we recognise the need for new housing, and support development and housing of the right kind in the right place.  For example, major housing development south west of Reading in mid Berkshire is a welcome key proposal, which we supported at the independent Public Examination.

"This will provide new housing, while protecting countryside south of the M4.

"Affordable housing in villages is also often needed to help young people establish themselves and to help secure vibrant rural communities. However, housing development will not, of itself, solve the problems of the region, such as a lack of affordable housing and continuing pockets of deprivation.

"But there must be a limit to urban expansion in the South East region whose natural environment is already suffering from unsustainable pressures. For example, based on current levels of housing and water use, the region could be short of one billion litres of drinkable water a day if we don't change our approach to water resources.

"Such high levels of housing development are not sustainable. The consequent pressures on infrastructure, such as transport and water, and the land, including the risk of losing large areas of valued countryside and Green Belt, would be intolerable.

"This poses a major threat to the quality of life of all those who live in the region."