Plea to stop South-East homes boom

Rural campaigners have issued a last-ditch appeal urging ministers to back down over plans for a huge housebuilding programme in the South-East.

The draft development plan for the region has led to fears that swathes of countryside will be concreted over. With two days before public consultation over the plan ends, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said it would mean up to 32,000 houses a year being built in the South-East for the next 20 years.

The CPRE believes the planned building programme would put intolerable pressure on transport, water supplies and public services.

It called for the housing plans to be independently tested to ensure they do not exceed the environment's ability to cope with them.

Edward Dawson, CPRE's South-East regional director, said: "In many ways, this is an urban plan that ignores rural areas. We recognise there is a housing shortage but fear much of the housing proposed will be expensive homes out of reach of local people."

The Government's draft plan sets out how the South-East should develop over the next 20 years, and covers housing, transport, leisure and the economy.