The South East Plan
News 29 August 2007: Examination-in-Public Panel report published. View further details.
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 transferred the responsibility for strategic planning from county and unitary councils to regional assemblies. Each regional assembly must prepare a Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). County and unitary councils have a statutory role to assist their regional assembly with RSS preparation.
The South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) has prepared the RSS for South East England which is titled `The South East Plan'. It looks ahead to 2026. As well as region-wide policies, the Plan contains sub-regional policies for South Hampshire and for the Western Corridor and Blackwater Valley Sub-region (of which north Hampshire is part).
Draft Plan
The sub-regional policies are based on Advice submitted by the county and unitary councils. View that Advice and related research by the Hampshire authorities. Hampshire County Council played a major role in the EiP - view the statements which we submitted.
SEERA submitted the draft South East Plan to the Government in March 2006. Public consultation on the document took place until 23 June 2006. See Hampshire County Council's comments on the draft plan.
Examination-in-Public
A type of public enquiry called an Examination in Public (EiP) of the Draft Plan for the South East took place from 28 November 2006 to 30 March 2007.
The Panel of planning inspectors who conducted the EiP submitted their report to the Government in July 2007. The Panel's report will provide the main basis on which the Secretary of State can decide what changes need to be made to the draft South East Plan before it is issued in its final form. The Government Office expects to issue its proposed alterations, and to consult on them, in early 2008.
Other information about the EiP can be seen on the EiP Panel's web site.
It is expected that the Government will finalise the South East Plan later in 2008.
Newsletter
Throughout the preparation of the South East Plan, Hampshire County Council has published a regular newsletter called `Planning Hampshire's Future'. If you would like to receive future editions, please send an email to
Planning Aid
If you need help in making your voice heard in the preparation of the South East Plan, then the Planning Aid service may be able to help. Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional town planning advice and support to communities and individuals who cannot afford to pay planning consultant fees. It complements the work of local planning authorities, but is wholly independent of them.