Thames Gateway news

Various leaks have been emerging from the government's draft Strategic Framework for the TG. The BBC reported today that DCLG is taking forward the idea of the Thames Estuary Park - apparently including the possibility of flooding some of the area to make new habitats. "The 300-page report leaked to the BBC is currently a discussion document, but it outlines major changes to the development strategy in the area and raises the possibility of a Thames Estuary Park. Housing developments would have to take advantage of the latest eco-technology and be designed to the highest industry standards."

Meanwhile, the document says that councils are falling way behind on hitting their housing targets for the area. Just 7992 homes were completed in the Kent councils of Dartford, Gravesham, Medway and Swale over the past five years - two-thirds of what is needed to meet the new homes target for the Kent stretch of the Gateway. “It falls well behind what would be needed to meet the 2016 target of 43,000,” says the report, which criticises council and planners for failing to earmark sufficient housing in their plans. It says the targets for Kent may need to be cut unless roads are delivered.

However, London seems to be doing well on the target-hitting, with the GLA and councils having allocated enough land to meet the target.The report shows that 17,000 dwellings have been provided in the London part of the Gateway over the past five years. As a result 8300 homes must be built each year over the next decade to meet the capital’s target of 100,000 Gateway homes by 2016.

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