THE drift of people from North to South should be cut to curb the loss of skills, jobs and investment, claims The Council for the Protection of Rural England.
This was the key message presented by Tony Burton, the Council's assistant director, when he launched his response to recent housebuilding proposals in the South East.
He said: "The economic and social gulf between different parts of England is stark and getting wider.
"GDP is growing 64 per cent faster in the South East than the North West, and the government's Social Exclusion Unit reports that over one third of the country's 'low demand' housing can be found in the North West."
He added: "We need stronger regional planning to prevent the South East overheating at the expense of the rest of the country. Positive policies to share the benefits of new development will protect the countryside, help tackle traffic growth and bring investment, jobs and an urban renaissance to all parts of the country."
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