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Housing minister says Gateway will not falter because of recession
From Thurrock Gazette website 9:50pm Wednesday 26th November 2008
 THE development of the Thames Gateway will not fall behind schedule because of the impending recession, housing minister Margaret Beckett has insisted.
Incoming chief executive of the new Homes & Communities Agency, Bob Kerslake, suggested in the press this week that the target of 160,000 homes to be built in the Gateway by 2016 might be missed.
But speaking at the Thames Gateway Forum at London’s Excel centre on Wednesday, Beckett said it was not the time to begin “watering down our ambitions” and predicted the area would become the country’s first eco-region.
“I cannot pretend the Gateway will be immune from the slowdown,” she said. “But I would say this: the government is alert to the changes ahead. The region is well placed to weather the storm. Now is not the time to give up on the Gateway…it is more relevant than ever before.”
Beckett also announced that the East of England Development Agency, the London Development Agency and the South-East England Development Agency would identify regeneration schemes most at risk in their regions, so they could be given extra help from central government.
She also officially launched the Gateway’s Institute for Sustainability, first unveiled by Gordon Brown at last year’s forum, claiming this would help “accelerate the technology that will help us live more sustainably in the future – as well as creating jobs and attracting investment.”
The institute will be based in three campuses, with a £40 million research centre designed by Arup Associates in Dagenham, and facilities at Dartford and Shellhaven in Thurrock.
For your diary See www.transformationthurrock.com for details of these and other prayer-related events in Thurrock and the Thames Gateway
Saturday 29 November 8.30am – Transformation Thurrock Prayer @ Grays Methodist Church
Sunday 30 November – A Year for London Prayer Chain
Monday 8 December 7.30pm – GDOP South Essex Regional Ambassadors’ Meeting @ Aveley Christian Centre This is an information, networking and prayer gathering for anyone interested in expanding the GDOP vision for constant prayer across London, the Thames Gateway and the UK – folk from Havering and Southend will also be there. GDOP are looking for every church to have an ‘ambassador’ (representative).Interested? Come!
Tuesday 30 December – A Year for London Prayer Chain This will be the last of these and will not be continued in this form in 2009.
Saturday 3 January 8.30am – Transformation Thurrock Prayer @ New Covenant Church, SLH (TBC)
Monday 12 January 7.30pm – GDOP South Essex Regional Ambassadors’ Meeting @ Aveley Christian Centre
Sunday 18 to Sunday 25 January – 24-7 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity @ Grays Baptist Church
Saturday 27 January 8.30am – Transformation Thurrock Prayer @ as yet TBC venue
Saturday 7 February 12noon onwards – Thames Gateway Prayernet gatherings at Tilbury & Gravesend At this 1 event in 2 venues on the same day, the 2009 vision for Essex-Kent united prayer along the Thames Gateway will be launched.
Monday 9 February 7.30pm – GDOP South Essex Regional Ambassadors’ Meeting @ Aveley Christian Centre
Saturday 28 February 8.30am – Transformation Thurrock Prayer @ as yet TBC venue
Monday 9 March 7.30pm – GDOP South Essex Regional Ambassadors’ Meeting @ Aveley Christian Centre
Saturday 28 March 8.30am – Transformation Thurrock Prayer @ as yet TBC venue
Saturday 25 April 8.30am – Transformation Thurrock Prayer @ as yet TBC venue
Saturday 4 April – Thames Gateway Prayernet @ Crowstone (Westcliff) & London Stone (Sheppey)
Monday 11 April 7.30pm – GDOP South Essex Regional Ambassadors’ Meeting @ Aveley Christian Centre
Friday 22 to Sunday 31 May – GDOP M25 Nutcracker 24-10 continuous prayer around the M25 with focus on London. There will be at least 31 prayer rooms, one for each of the M25’s 31 junctions. Thurrock’s Junction 31 venue will be in Aveley (TBC).
Saturday 30 May 8.30am – Transformation Thurrock Prayer @ as yet TBC venue Don’t panic – the FA Cup Final’s at 3pm!
Sunday 31 May afternoon – The Global Day of Prayer event somewhere in North London
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Thurrock Gazette, 28/11/2008 |
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