Shock Number One – More Housing Already Being Suggested Up To 2031

November

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There’s two bits of news regarding future housing in our district. And if you think we already have too many houses proposed for our district, they are nasty surprises.

First of all , the East of England Regional Authority wants to start planning straight away up to the year 2031 – the current planning goes up to 2025. That means the District Council might have to find land for another 1500 houses or so. This seems ridiculously premature, and the Lib Dem group in Rochford will be definitely against it. What we need is an urgent council meeting so that the whole of the council can discuss this.

We found the East of England press release on their website:

27 October 2008

The East of England Plan – which sets out future plans for the region – will be reviewed and extended to 2031, the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) has announced today (27 October).

The review is needed to plan for the region?s growth and prosperity and to respond to issues such as climate change. It will include plans for new jobs and homes, including affordable homes, and less intensive use of natural resources.

The Assembly, a regional grouping of councils and stakeholders which is independent of Government, will publish a public consultation document in Spring 2009.

Councillor Derrick Ashley, Chairman of EERA?s Regional Planning Panel said: ?Despite the current economic downturn, we must start planning for people?s future needs as a million more people will live in the East of England by 2031.

?The review will ask important questions about where new jobs will be created and how can we protect and improve the local environment.

?It will also look at long-term housing needs, an important issue for many people across the region struggling to find affordable housing.

?Crucially, the investment that will be needed from Government to make it all happen will also be thoroughly examined.?

EERA?s Regional Planning Panel will oversee the review which is expected to be completed by Government in 2011.

The Assembly has started the review by asking for advice from councils and commissioning expert studies on a range of issues including housing, transport, water, flood risk and waste.

New jobs and homes targets in the current East of England Plan will be reviewed and extended to 2031 (See Notes to Editors). A Plan to 2031 will help councils, the NHS and others make long-term decisions and investment.

In undertaking the East of England Plan – Review to 2031, the Assembly will be working closely with the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and the Government Office for the East of England (GO-East).

A public information pack on the East of England Plan ? Review to 2031 is available at www.eera.gov.uk

Incidentally, Derrick Ashley is a Conservative County Councilor from Hertfordshire.

The only good thing about planning this housing now is that it will be done whilst there are still elected councillors involved- the government is abolishing the regional assembly and handing the powers over to bureaucrats.

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