Protect Kent - Water Conference

Please be sure to book your ticket by Monday 19th November to guarantee your place.

“Planning for Drought – Is Kent in Crisis?”

Don’t let economic recovery be washed down the drain !

Whatever your views on our Government’s “growth agenda” and their drive to ‘develop

ourselves out of recession’, there is no doubt that for this to happen we must have a sound

foundation to work from.

And this includes a sound infrastructure, around which to build. A comprehensive

infrastructure for reliable and sustainable forms of transport, energy, and significantly,

water supply. This is a principle tenet of our new National Planning Policy Framework.



Unfortunately, the reality of a reliable water supply into the future is still a long way off,

particularly here in Kent. Other segments of our national infrastructure are within our

means to control; water resources are not. Changing and erratic weather patterns over

recent years suggest that the risk of droughts is likely to increase. Placing greater stress

on the water environment. Placing greater stress on our water resources. Placing greater

stress on our ambitions for growth.

So what is to be done ?

CPRE Protect Kent don’t have the answers – yet – but are aiming to develop some.

Through an all-inclusive and comprehensive seminar scheduled for 26th November.

Which is why we are inviting you to our November Conference “Planning for Drought –

Is Kent In Crisis ?” If you are a planner, involved with the planning system, a developer,

or have an interest in development in our county, this is a ‘must attend’ event for you.


This promises to be a very informative and productive event, with 8 speakers from key

organisations in the water and environment sector, including a keynote speech from

Richard Benyon MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for the

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Our full-day conference will be held on Monday 26th November at the Kent County

Showground, Detling, in the Clive Emson building. Tickets can be booked at

http://planningfordrought.eventbrite.co.uk . The take-up of places is progressing well,

and we would recommend you book yours as soon as possible.

Ticket prices are £60 for CPRE Members, £75 for non-members. We hope you will understand

that, as a registered charity fully dependent on the generosity of our members and supporters

for income, we do need to ensure we cover our costs in staging this event. If you do find that

the cost of a place will prohibit your attendance, please contact us at info@protectkent.org.uk

or on 01233 714540.


Conference Programme

09:30 a.m. Registration – Coffee and biscuits

10:00 Welcome and Introduction – Richard Knox-Johnston

10:10 Keynote Speech – Richard Benyon MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

(Natural Environment and Fisheries), Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

10:40 Trevor Bishop – Environment Agency

11:05 Meyrick Gough – Southern Water

11:30 Graham Warren – CPRE Protect Kent

11:55 Question time for am speakers

12:30 p.m. Buffet lunch and discussion sessions

14:00 Dr Andrew Clark – National Farmers’ Union

14:25 Richard Frost – Shepherd Neame

14:50 Andrew Wickham and Alan Turner – Kent County Council

15:20 Question time for pm speakers

15:50 p.m. Summary and close – Richard Knox-Johnston

Question Time(s): These will be held as a ‘panel session’ chaired by Richard Knox-Johnston, where

delegates will be invited to pose their questions to a collective panel of the morning’s or afternoon’s speakers.

Lunchtime Sessions: These will be facilitated ‘round-table’ informal discussions on topics drawn from

the speakers’ presentations.

We hope to see you there !