30/07/2003

120,000 new homes promised for south east

A PFI package - potentially worth £2 billion – is set to deliver 120,000 homes and 180,000 jobs in the Thames Gateway area by 2016, the Deputy Prime Minister has said.

Launching 'Creating Sustainable Communities: Making it Happen', the first of a series of updates on the Sustainable Communities Plan, published in February, John Prescott, also earmarked additional cash for three other growth areas - Milton Keynes-South Midlands; London-Stansted-Cambridge; and Ashford.

In the Gateway region, he announced five priority areas - East London, Greenwich - Woolwich, Barking Reach, Thurrock and North Kent-Thameside - where £330 million will be spent over the next three years on 100 projects to open up development sites. It is expected that this will lever in at least £1-2 billion from other public and private partners.

John Prescott said: "Today marks the start of a real and long-term commitment, coupled with long- term delivery.

"The money I am allocating will help to kick-start the process of turning Europe's largest collection of brownfield sites into living, breathing communities where people are proud to belong.

"But we are being careful to ensure that growth is properly managed and we stand by our commitment to maintain or increase the green belt and stop the profligate use of land."

(GMcG)

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