Green Issues News Release - 5 February 2003
John Prescott MP today paved the way for over 200,000 houses to be built
in the south east. In front of a packed House of Commons, the Deputy Prime
Minister announced plans designed to correct years of under-development.
The Sustainable Communities Plan argues that Britain has been building too
few houses for too long, and that as a consequence young people and key workers
have been priced out of the market.
Mr Prescott said that ‘more and more young people and key workers
can’t afford to live where they want.’ This is why the government
has ring-fenced £5 billion for the provision of affordable housing.
In total, the government is committed to spending £22 billion on
the development programme over the course of the next three years. Mr Prescott
said that the investment signalled ‘a step change’ both in investment
and in planning direction.
The package highlighted four areas where development will take place.
The first is the ‘Milton Keynes Quadrangle’ of Bedford, Milton
Keynes, Corby and Northampton; the second, Ashford in Kent; the third, the
London-Stansted/Cambridge M11 corridor: and the fourth, the ‘East Thames
Gateway’ – including East London, north Kent and south Essex.
Mr Prescott was also keen to emphasise his government’s green credentials.
He pledged that development would be concentrated on brownfield land and
that new green spaces will be opened in towns and cities.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s announcement is, however, still likely
to anger environmental campaigners. The CPRE has already expressed concern
that the ‘countryside is disappearing under new housing estates and
concrete.’
Analysis
The government seems, at last, to have bitten the bullet on development.
Despite a strong media campaign by pressure groups, especially CPRE (last
Sunday’s Observer was a good example), John Prescott has kept his nerve.
Of course, these plans have been well trailed and the battle now moves
on to the communities affected. An obvious fear is that all of these plans
will become ‘Stevenaged’, and get stuck for years with little
or no movement due to political pressure.
What it will mean
Green Issues is planning a series this Spring on the implications of the
announcement. We intend to involve local community representatives and politicians
to assess their initial views on the announcements. These are planned for:
Milton Keynes
Cambridge
Thames Gateway
Ashford
Times and locations will
be in future newsletters.
If you are interested in attending one of these seminars, then please
contact Kevin Howlett on 0118 959 1200 (email kevinh@greenissues.com)
and we will endeavour to reserve you a place.
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