Regional Planning Guidance (East Anglia) (Hansard, 23 November 2000)

§ Mr. Raynsford

My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has today published the Regional Planning Guidance for East Anglia. It is the first RPG to be completed under the new regionally based procedures with testing of the draft RPG at a public examination under an independent panel. It provides a clear strategy for the sustainable development of the region which will support economic growth and regeneration, meet the housing needs of all sectors of the community, and protect the environment. It provides a long-term planning framework for the East of England Development Agency's Regional Strategy.

The RPG strategy reflects the Government's priorities in the Urban White Paper and policy guidance on planning for housing. It stresses urban renaissance and indicates that new development should be concentrated in the region's cities and larger towns. It proposes an initial target of 50 per cent. of new housing on previously developed land and buildings. This is below the national target of 60 per cent. but, given East Anglia's character, it will be challenging. It endorses the housing target proposed by the Standing Conference of East Anglian Local Authorities—SCEALA—of some 9,900 additional dwellings a year as the starting point for the plan, monitor, manage approach to housing provision. It also recognises the importance of an active rural economy and of the region's many market towns. These themes will be further developed in the Rural White Paper.

The RPG reflects our emphasis on the integration of transport and development. It confirms that the A47 Thorney Bypass and the two remaining schemes to complete the dualling of the All to Norwich, have been added to the targeted programme of Trunk Road improvements. As set out in Transport 2010, the Government's 10-year plan for transport, DETR will be looking to speed up scheme preparation significantly.

The Cambridge Sub-Region is central to the guidance. It meets the needs for a more sustainable approach to accommodating development to support the growth of the research and technology-based economy. It proposes a sequential approach looking first at the capacity of Cambridge, then possible urban extensions, then a new settlement, then at the area's market towns, always considering brownfield land first. It accepts the panel's recommendation for a review of the Cambridge Green Belt. This work is currently being carried out by the local authorities. The East Anglia RPG shows how the new arrangements for RPG are working to deliver regionally based strategies which will meet development needs and contribute to achieving sustainable development. It is for the local authorities to reflect the policies of the RPG in their development plans and to work with the private sector and other agencies to see those policies implemented.

We have placed the relevant documents in the House Libraries and made copies available to MPs from the region.