§ Lord Norrieasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action it proposes to take on the advice given to the Secretary of State for the Environment by the London and South East Regional Planning Conference (SERPLAN) in its regional statement A New Strategy for the South East.
§ Baroness BlatchWe welcome SERPLAN's regional statement, which is an important step towards developing new regional planning guidance for the South East. The existing regional guidance is set out in the Department of the Environment's Planning Policy Guidance Note No. 9 of February 1989. Such guidance is intended to provide a framework for the preparation of structure plans by county councils. The Government will now review the existing guidance in the light of SERPLAN's statement. We will also take account of any relevant views expressed by other persons or organisations. Those wishing their views to be taken into account should send them to the Department of the Environment by the end of 1990. To assist consideration of the issues concerned, the Department of the Environment will be holding a conference early in 1991 at which invited parties will be able to express their views. We will later publish—for consultation—draft regional planning guidance for the South East.