East unites to oppose expansion

08 February 2007

Members of the East of England Regional Assembly have slated Local Government and Communities minister, Ruth Kelly, for suggesting changes to the draft regional plan which are ‘neither deliverable nor sustainable’.
The assembly agreed a cross-party motion which expressed ‘extreme disappointment’ at the lack of funding to support urgently-needed infrastructure in the region, with members stressing ‘particular concerns about unresolved issues of transportation infrastructure, water supply, waste water-treatment capacity, and health service provision.’
They also said they ‘deplored’ the decision not to allow the regional planning process to reconsider the principle of a second runway at London’s Stansted Airport and government moves to increase overall housing numbers by 508,000.
The assembly’s draft plan rejected the need for a second runway at Stansted and had suggested that the overall housing target for the region should be limited to 478,000. It was first published in December 2004, and then examined in public between November 2005 to March 2006 by members of an independent panel.
Kelly published the Government’s formal response to the draft plan on 19 December, and the proposed changes are now subject to a public consultation period until 9 March, with the final East of England Plan due to be completed this summer.
Assembly chairman, Cllr Sue Sida-Lockett, said: ‘The assembly is united in rejecting the need for 30,000 more homes, a second runway at Stansted, and more jobs and houses without much-needed funding to support infrastructure.’
Said Cllr Chris Whit, Liberal Democrat deputy chair: ‘The region’s quality of life and precious environment will be at risk if the Government does not listen to the views of local communities during this final period of public consultation.’
And Labour deputy chair, Cllr John Kent, added: ‘Despite our concerns, the assembly did not want to delay the overall plan process, as local authorities across the east of England need to be preparing their local development documents without further delay to provide for sound local planning frameworks.’
Members of the assembly will consider their detailed response to the consultation regional planning panel on 8 March, with copies made available online: www.eera.gov.uk

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