A political row has broken out after a regional assembly voted to reject government housebuilding targets for the South-east

Planning minister Keith Hill last week sent a letter to the South East England Regional Assembly warning it not to advocate housebuilding in the South-east at or below 28,000 a year 鈥� the level set out by regional planning guidance nine.

In the letter, seen by 黑洞社区, Hill said he was 鈥渞ather disturbed to learn that the assembly might decide to put forward options at RPG 9 level or even lower鈥�. But on Monday the Tory-dominated SEERA not only refused to endorse ODPM plans to increase building levels to 720,000 homes over the next 20 years, it then said that the number of homes might be as few as 25,500 a year.

It had been understood that SEERA wanted to present a questionnaire to the 4 million homes in the region, asking residents if they wished to see the level of new homes built each year set at 29,000, 32,000 or 36,000. But the assembly has now said it is prepared to consult only on whether the figure should be 25,500 or 32,000 a year.

SEERA voted 137 to 69 to block the government鈥檚 plans, arguing that the region was already overcrowded, with inadequate roads and infrastructure. The matter will now be taken to a public examination, which both the ODPM and SEERA will attend.

A questionnaire won't represent the views of the majority

Keith Hill, planning minister

In his letter, Hill attacked SEERA鈥檚 proposal to consult by means of a questionnaire, because he believed not enough people would respond.

He wrote: 鈥淚 did flag up my concern regarding the proposal to include a questionnaire, and to send this to every household. You acknowledge that there is only likely to be a 1% response rate and that this will not be representative of the views of the majority of those in the South-east. I have to question whether the questionnaire is the best use of public money.鈥�