publications and reports

As you would expect following the Climate Change PPS consultation launch there is much to support in the Modification of the Plan as this element has been improved, with a new chapter – Carbon Dioxide emissions and renewable energy., this includes a policy calling for Development Plan Documents to set an ’ambitious but viable proportions’ but as an interim calls for 10% of energy form onsite/ decentralised /low carbon sources The basic format remains unchanged, but wording has been altered. The second runway at Stansted has been added into the equation, this is not supported by the Regional Assembly.

The Government did not agree with the Panels recommendations on Harlow North despite very cogent arguments. The water utilities made a very strong case that waste water was the big issue (still seen as a priority in the Sustainability Appraisal Report (SA). CPRE EE argued that, what amounts to a new settlement on the doorstep would inhibit Harlow regeneration, but the Government line is that it will depend on how it is integrated with the existing settlement

The housing target has gone up by 2,500 bringing the total to 508,000 this is due to the addition of the north Harlow. Watford has also been added as a Key Centre for Development and change, Watford did not figure in the original plan being already the largest settlement in Hertford, no extra housing has been allocated. Hertford is taking a very big hit overall. The target for affordable housing remains unchanged and the detail has been left as the Panel suggested to the Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) to determine. A further real concern is the issue that the targets are a minimum, this will have implications for LDFs and developers will be able to use this to push for more housing

Of concern is the Greenbelt and the issue of reviews, a major cause for concern is the time frame issue. The Government is suggesting that reviews must look to provide land up to and beyond 2031 this means that the reviews will be seeking far more land than that which would have been sought by the original plan. The issue of compensatory green belt is then given much more emphasis but appears to be limited by the Plan to certain areas.

The water efficiency targets have been replaced with per capita monitoring targets. The efficiency targets are a major issue actively promoted by the EA (25% increased efficiency in new build and existing build of some 8%) actively backed by all the environmental bodies and NGOs. The Government Office view appears to be that you can’t monitor these targets separately, but an overall per capita measure can be monitored and to encourage efficiency the Government intends to tighten building regulations to meet these issues. However, this issue is of greatest significance mainly in this region and the South East can we rely on national regulations providing a strong enough steer unless there is flexibility for regions to adopt stronger regulations based on relative importance. The fear is that with 110,000 houses of the 508,000 already built in this region that we are missing the boat. Consultation ends 9^th March. It is proposed to review elements of the Plan immediately this one is published. A review is likely to include discussion of: a need for a new settlement/s

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Key points from the Strategic Environmental Assessment of Regional Spatial Strategy 14 see briefing

CPRE Response to the Sustainability Appraisal/Strategic Environmental Assessment Report for the East of England Plan.

Summary of the Panel Report from the Examination in Public of the East of England Plan August 06 (see Home Page.)

PortsWatch is a new campaigning network that has been established by a group of leading national environmental NGOs to prevent the destruction of sensitive coastal areas, the overburdening of land side transport infrastructure, and the negative impacts upon related communities caused by the major deep sea container port developments now being proposed.

The founding members include CPRE East of England, Friends of the Earth, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Transport 2000 (T2000). For further information access the Portswatch page at www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/transport/portswatch/