A view from the South Downs of the village of Poynings. May 2007 Attribution: User:Paste
  • ‘Dead storage’ and ‘imminent risk to supplies’: documents reveal how England’s water companies struggled in last summer’s heatwaves, unearthed.greenpeace.org (Aug 23, 2023) — Internal briefings expose Environment Agency concerns that reservoir levels could drop so low the water would be untreatable and that companies might break the law
  • Ministers accused of ‘environmental crime’ over South Downs oil drilling, theguardian.com (Aug 23, 2023)
  • Over 25,000 oppose quarry extension into ancient wood, woodlandtrust.org.uk (Aug 02, 2023) — "Over 25,000 of you joined us in responding to the consultation on the shocking proposal."
  • Oaken Wood: The largest destruction of ancient woodland this century, stuartjeffery.net (Jul 17, 2023)
  • Kent and Sussex hosepipe ban announced amid water shortage, BBC News (Jun 19, 2023)

Read more

South East England is one of the nine official regions of England in the United Kingdom at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. It consists of the counties of Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex. Major towns and cities in the region include Brighton and Hove, Milton Keynes, Southampton, Portsmouth, Slough, Reading and Oxford.

South East England is the third-largest region of England, with an area of 19,096 km2 (7,373 sq mi), and is also the most populous with a total population of over eight and a half million (2011). The region contains eight legally chartered cities: Brighton and Hove, Canterbury, Chichester, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester. The region's close proximity to London and connections to several national motorways have led to South East England becoming a prosperous economic hub with the largest economy of any region in the UK, after London. The region is home to Gatwick Airport, the UK's second-busiest airport, and Heathrow Airport (the UK's busiest airport) is located adjacent to the region's boundary with Greater London. The coastline along the English Channel provides numerous ferry crossings to mainland Europe.

The region is known for its countryside, which includes two national parks: the New Forest and the South Downs, as well as the North Downs, the Chiltern Hills and part of the Cotswolds. The River Thames flows through the region and its basin is known as the Thames Valley. It is also the location of a number of internationally known places of interest, such as HMS Victory in Portsmouth, Cliveden in Buckinghamshire, Thorpe Park and RHS Wisley in Surrey, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, Windsor Castle in Berkshire, Leeds Castle, the White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, Brighton Palace Pier, and Hammerwood Park in East Sussex, and Wakehurst Place in West Sussex. The region has many universities; the University of Oxford is the oldest in the English-speaking world, and ranked among the best in the world.

South East England is host to various sporting events, including the annual Henley Royal Regatta, Royal Ascot and The Derby, and sporting venues include Wentworth Golf Club and Brands Hatch. Some of the events of the 2012 Summer Olympics were held in the south east, including the rowing at Eton Dorney and part of the cycling road race in the Surrey Hills.

Networks[edit | edit source]

  • Transition Hub - London & SE on facebook

Climate action[edit | edit source]

Biodiversity[edit | edit source]

The Fox Project, Southern Wildlife Ambulance Network

Open spaces[edit | edit source]

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#OurGreenBelt: The Countryside Next Door (short version)
Authors: CPRE The countryside charity, May 15, 2017
  • About London's Green Belt includes "Benefits of the Green Belt", which include "Eco-system benefits: Different types of open land provide multiple eco-system benefits which include urban cooling, improved air quality, flood protection and carbon absorption (especially woodland areas), as well as local food production." as well as Recreation, sport, health, Future proofing, and multiple economic benefits.
  • Our Message includes "Government must now:"

North Wessex Downs AONB - South Downs National Park Authority

Community involvement[edit | edit source]

Community Led Plans South East

Community and voluntary action[edit | edit source]

Regional Action and Involvement South East

Community energy[edit | edit source]

Food activism[edit | edit source]

BBO Food Group, food group for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes and Oxfordshire - Sussex Frack Free Food Alliance

Localism[edit | edit source]

Supporting community business in South East England, powertochange.org.uk, added 10:28, 12 November 2021 (UTC)

Sustainable transport activism[edit | edit source]

The River Wey and Wey Navigations Community Site

News and comment[edit | edit source]

2022

  • The Tories are tearing themselves apart over housing – but this is another crisis of their own making, John Harris, The Guardian (Nov 27, 2022)
  • How Sussex farmers plan to rewild a nature-rich green corridor to the sea, The Guardian (Jul 22, 2022)

2020

Kent1.jpg

CPRE Kent supports county MPs in attack on 'inherently unreasonable' new housing targets[1] Sep 13

Gravesham residents form group to fight council's housing proposals, CPRE Kent[2] Feb 10

Six key issues Surrey County Council must address, Sarah Finch, Extinction Rebellion Reigate & Redhill[3] Feb 3

2019

Across from the Saddle Knob - geograph.org.uk.jpg

In July 2019, Surrey County Council declared climate emergency. Two months later, they gave the go-ahead to plans for four more oil wells at Horse Hill, near Gatwick. To highlight the dangers of more oil drilling in a time of climate emergency, there will be a demonstration in October.[4] Sep 16

'Filled to bursting with trees, woods and nature reserves': greening the Green Belt by Friends of the Earth Innovation team.[5] Jun 12

Green Belt: the development pressure ramps up again.[6] Feb 4

2018

If we value rural Britain, we can't build houses all over it, Simon Jenkins, Aug 6[7]

2017

Households in southern England urged to save water after dry winter, May 5[8]

Resources[edit | edit source]

Past events[edit | edit source]

2014

May 25 The South of England Food and Drinks Festival

Environmental issues in South East England[edit | edit source]

Overdevelopment[edit | edit source]

Take a look at the Community planning alliance, grass roots map: google.com/maps, and zoom in a little to see how communities in the South East are disproportionately affected by overdevelopment threats.

Reducing pressure on the South East would give greater opportunity to the rest of the UK.[9]

see also: Towards a more democratic and climate friendly way of meeting housing need across England

Water and rivers[edit | edit source]

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see also: Saving water in South East England

Campaigns[edit | edit source]

  • Kent quarry extension is one of the biggest threats of the 21st century. Hermitage Quarry expansion plans: If approved, the loss could even surpass ancient woodland losses from the Lower Thames Crossing and HS2 schemes combined, woodlandtrust.org.uk, added 14:07, 9 August 2023 (UTC)

Near you[edit | edit source]

Brighton - Malling - Oxford / Buckinghamshire - East Sussex - Hampshire - Kent - Kent news - Oxfordshire - Berkshire - Surrey - West Sussex / Saving water in South East England - London and South East England

See also[edit | edit source]

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External links[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Discussion[View | Edit]

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