The predominantly Tory county councils of south-east England have teamed up with the Blairite Institute of Public Policy Research to examine how the region can be made more "liveable".
Together with other regional representatives they have formed the Commission on Sustainable Development in the South-east, which will consider how the region's environment and infrastructure can be enhanced while remaining economically successful.

The commission will question the government's commitment to build 200,000 new homes in the South-east.

"Lack of affordable housing is a key reason why people are unwilling to relocate to the South-east," said Julie Foley, the commission's secretary and senior research fellow at IPPR. "Extra housing may generate additional traffic, worsening journey times as well as local air quality. This will adversely affect public health.

"We will seek to identify how the South-east can be successful more sustainably."

Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, conservative leader of Kent council and chair of the commission, said the government had failed to consider the region's infrastructure needs in setting such a high target.

"Developers have landbanked years' worth of developable land because the infrastructure is not there," he said.

The commission will produce an interim report next spring and a final report in summer 2005.

Source

Housing Today