Latest News

• January 2008. The government response to the Inspectors' recommendations following the Examination in Public into the South East Plan has been delayed. Nothing is expected until February at least. To avoid the May local elections, the consultation on Hazel Blears' reaction will need to be issued early in February or it is likely be held over until mid-May.
• 5 September 2007. CPRE SE eBulletin on the Inspectors Report: " there should be no doubt that this report will deliver increased urban sprawl while failing to tackle the problems of housing affordability, and will lead to worsened congestion that will ultimately constipate the economy."
• 29 August 2007. The Inspectors Report on the South Plan published. CPRE says that "South East housing threatens an unsustainable course"

The South East Plan

The South East plan will play a critical part in deciding whether that continues to be the case through the 21st century.

The Examination in Public (EiP) into the South East Plan was held from November 2006 to March 2007. The planning process was due to end on 29 February 2008 when the final South East Plan is published by Government (timetable). However, the government has announced an immediate review of the SE Plan with a view to increasing housing levels, so the timetable is now uncertain.

The public examination lasted four months and involved hundreds of participants from a wide range of organisations, discussing and facing probing questions about the region’s future – its housing, transport, economic development, quality of life and environmental protection up to 2026. CPRE was represented at 41 of the 52 sessions of the EiP. Only the South East England Regional Assembly itself and the Government Office of the South East were invited to more sessions.

At the public examination, CPRE’s South East group called for the environment and countryside to be placed at the heart of planning in the South East, and for there to be a stronger focus on meeting the needs of local communities – rather than extensive new development to accommodate a continuing large net inflow of people from London and other regions. Edward Dawson, CPRE’s South East Regional Director, said: "Many of the helpful policies in the draft Plan are undermined by other policies which place the highest emphasis on economic growth. The countryside, the wider environment and our quality of life risk being sidelined as a result."

CPRE argued at the public examination for:

• a greater commitment in the Plan to protecting and enhancing the countryside and landscapes of the South East
• priority to be given to meeting local needs for affordable homes, schools, public transport and health services;
• testing of housing figures to make sure they can meet need without exceeding the capacity of the region’s environment to accommodate development
• an end to wasteful use of land: at least 75% of housing and 85% of commercial development in the region should go on brownfield sites
• average housing densities of at least 30-50 homes hectare to use building land more efficiently – and higher in locations with good public transport and facilities nearby. Good sized family homes with their own gardens can be built at these densities
• high standards of design, creating attractive new housing with a sense of place close to local facilities. Use of sustainable construction techniques in all new development, so that the region’s new homes cause less environmental damage during construction and through their lifetimes
• clearer, more convincing proposals to tackle climate change and conserve natural resources, particularly water.

Further information:

• CPRE News on the Examination in Public
• CPRE Briefing on the Examination in Public
• CPRE Statements to the Examination in Public
• CPRE South East eBulletin has the latest news on the SE Plan
• Timetable for the Examination in Public
• Examination in Public website
• South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) website
• South East Plan website
• Government Office of the South East on the South East Plan