The Regional Assembly aims to promote Best Practice in organisations across South East England.

Regional Planning

Rapid Sustainability Appraisal

This report explains how a Rapid Sustainability Appraisal (RSA) can be carried out for Community Strategies (including Community Plans, Sustainable Community Strategies etc) and Local Area Agreements. RSA is different from the formal, comprehensive sustainability appraisal process used for Development Plan Documents or Regional Spatial Strategies: it is less focused on alternatives, less evidence-based, and much quicker.
Guide to Rapid Sustainability Appraisal of Community Strategies - 418 KB

Councillors' Toolbox

This toolbox aims to help South East England's councillors make well-informed contributions to the development of local planning policy and to assist decision-making on planning applications for new housing.
Councillors Toolbox - 498 KB

Regional Housing

Eco Open Houses

The Assembly supported an event in summer 2008 where residents of Brighton and Hove could visit their neighbours' eco home encouraging more residents to go green. The Eco Open Houses project showcased 14 homes - from small to big changes - demonstrating that it is possible to live normally in an eco-friendly home and save money and the environment at the same time.

Urban Housing Potential

This report is a technical document aimed at those who prepare and use studies of urban housing potential.
Urban Housing Potential - Good Practice Guide - 807 KB

Housing Needs

This is a technical document aimed at those who prepare and use local housing needs assessments.
Housing Needs - Good Practice Guide - 734 KB

Regional Transport

LDF Transport Guide

The Regional Assembly has produced a guide to help local authority planners in the South East incorporate the transport elements of the South East Plan into their Local Development Frameworks (LDFs).
LDF Transport Guide - 935 KB
LDF Transport Guide Annex - 586 KB

Advocacy

The Assembly draws on good practice and hands-on experience in member organisations to inform responses to Government consultation and lobbying activities. Recent submissions to Government cover all areas of the Assembly's work including planning, housing, transport, accountability and alignment.

Alignment

Ecological Footprint

If everyone in the world lived the lifestyle we lead in the South East then we would need three-and-a-half planets to support us. We are currently consuming more than our 'fair share' of the earth's natural resources and the 'route map' below identifies actions that can help to stabilise and then reduce the South East's Ecological Footprint. The research has been developed in conjunction with SEEDA and WWF, to help the region develop sustainably in the future.
Reducing the South East's Ecological Footprint and carbon emissions: a route map (executive summary) - 1.65 MB
Reducing the South East's Ecological Footprint and carbon emissions: a route map (main document) - 4.70 MB
Reducing the South East's Ecological Footprint and carbon emissions: a route map (appendicies) - 356 KB

Climate Change

At the Climate Change Summit 2007, the Regional Assembly launched a practical guide for planners, local councils, developers, regulators and service providers to inform their plans. The guide explains how new housing can be designed to make it more resilient against a changing climate, preparing for hotter summers and wetter winters and ways to ensure new homes are water and energy efficient.
Climate Change Booklet - 582 KB
Climate Change Guide - 125 KB

Accountability

Scrutiny

The English Regions Network (ERN) have produced a document looking at the principles and practice of effective regional scrutiny and accountability.
Renewing Regional Accountability - 2.16 MB