The body responsible for planning 750,000 new homes has been challenged to ensure that infrastructure is built first.

The South-East Regional Assembly (SEERA) has drawn up a draft plan which proposes 32,000 properties a year should be built over the next 20 years, with a total of 28,900 in Sussex.

Councillor Maureen Hoarding, of New Forest District Council, said: "It is crucial that we have social, economic and environmental issues dealt with before or alongside housing. I am very concerned about water."

Christine Field, chairwoman of SEERA's regional planning committee, said: "I think all of us would love to see infrastructure come first.

"There will be times when it doesn't. To strive for the impossible is not always sensible."

Monday, July 17, 2006