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A selection of images representing communities.
Direct contact 0303 444 0000Historically in London and the wider South East demand for housing has outstripped supply, leading to rising house prices and a shortage of affordable homes. The Growth Areas were a response to this, providing a focus for large scale sustainable growth: new communities which would be sustainable, well-designed, high quality and attractive places in which people would choose to live and work.
The regeneration of Thames Gateway has long been a national and regional policy. The potential for growth in the Ashford, Milton Keynes-South Midlands, and London-Stansted-Cambridge-Peterborough areas were identified as part of the 2000 Regional Planning Guidance (RPG9) for the Wider South East. Capacity for growth in these areas was confirmed through subsequent studies. The Sustainable Communities Plan , published in 2003, established the four Growth Areas with funding support. With London, the four Growth Areas have the potential to deliver an additional 200,000 homes above existing planned numbers by 2016, with housing targets set through the regional planning process.
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) (external link) is the national housing and regeneration agency for England bringing together the best expertise in the housing and regeneration sector to deliver the Government's policy objectives on housing supply.
At a local level, the HCA is working to support the delivery of growth locations in partnership with other national, regional and local partners. Where necessary, additional delivery arrangements have been established to support local partners in coordinating and taking forward growth plans, involving the private sector and public sector delivery partners. Individual delivery arrangements reflect the needs and individual circumstances of each locality.
Ten Local Delivery Vehicles (LDVs) have now been established which vary from local authority partnerships, limited companies, and statutory bodies, including a statutory Development Corporation in West Northamptonshire. They are:
The Milton Keynes and South Midlands (MKSM) (external link) Growth Area forms a sub-region comprising parts of three regions (East, East Midlands and the South East). MKSM is unique in that it has published its own Sub-Regional Strategy (external link) which forms the statutory spatial framework for the Local Development Frameworks across MKSM. The MKSM Inter-Regional Board (IRB) (external link) was established in 2004, bringing together national, regional and local delivery partners to co-ordinate and take forward delivery of the growth agenda across the sub-region.
If you have any enquiries about the Growth Areas or the contents of these pages please contact: growthareas@communities.gsi.gov.uk
