Government plans for massive new housing developments in the south-east, including Essex, have been rejected by the regional planning body, SERPLAN, to which the county belongs.

The body, which produces development proposals for the region, is telling Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott that his plans for 43,000 homes a year in the 12 counties outside London are too much. They say their original proposals of 33,000 a year should be adhered to.

Mr Prescott's figures would produce 860,000 homes over 20 years, compared with 660,000 if the SERPLAN proposals were adopted.

As far as Essex is concerned it would involve building at the rate of 5,420 a year, compared with the 4,194 suggested by SERPLAN.

Essex Conservative county councillor Gerard McEwen, who is a member of SERPLAN said: "We don't accept all this extra housing in the south-east .

"We spent years preparing all these figures and the government rejected them, but we stand by what we said. That was our objective analysis.

"We started off playing poker over housing numbers and now it is Russian Roulette.

"We must send a message to central government that the south-east has had enough.

"The government must talk seriously now about helping the north and cutting down pressure on the south east, which would mean building on green fields."

The Council for the Protection of Rural England said that tax breaks for urban renewal, extra funds for affordable homes, and positive action to promote more even development round the regions were needed before the government could consider raising housebuilding levels in the south east.

Assistant director, Tony Burton, said: "The government's welcome plans to avoid extra greenfield development and promote urban renewal in the south east cannot be achieved by planning policies alone.

"Joined-up action across Whitehall is needed to prevent further congestion and urban sprawl while meeting housing needs."

West Chelmsford MP, Simon Burns, commented: "The Chelmsford local authority area has been given a disproportionate amount of housing compared to the rest of the county and they should redress this imbalance because it is unfair and unrealistic," he said.

The government is now consulting on its proposals and the final decision rests with it.

e-mail: kathleen.corby@essex-chronicle.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.