By Paul Siegert BBC South East political correspondent

More than 30,000 new homes will be built in Ashford by 2031

Opponents claim not enough thought or money has been given to the infrastructure to go with houses in the Ashford, Thames Gateway and Gatwick areas, in parts of Surrey and along the Sussex coast.

It is an accusation denied by the government, which says billions are being made available for transport links, schools and health services.

Immigration has been another key issue for the region, although it is now unlikely to be as important to the South East as some may think.

A few years ago, so many asylum seekers were arriving in Dover on board ferries and through the Channel Tunnel that the government set up a dispersal programme.

The move meant Kent did not have to house any permanent refugees, but Dover did have to process asylum seekers when they first arrived before housing was found elsewhere.

'Counties split'

It led to tension in the area, but now that numbers of illegal immigrants have dropped to a handful a week, the problem is one of image more than anything else.

And across the South, Labour could come under pressure in the rural, pro-hunting areas of Dorset, Wiltshire and parts of Hampshire, where there are votes to be won and lost on the government's support for farmers and rural communities.

Across Kent and East Sussex, the contest could not be closer.

Out of the 27 seats in the two counties, Labour and the Conservatives both hold 13 and the Liberal Democrats hold one.

At least nine of those Labour seats could be described as marginal, with majorities of less than 5,000.

Many were safe Conservative constituencies up until 1997, and if the Tories are to have any hope of regaining power, these are the seats they have to win back.

Michael Howard has said publicly many times he sees no reason why every seat in Kent cannot be his on 6 May.

Constituency battles

Health Minister Steve Ladyman looks the most vulnerable of the Labour MPs with a majority of 1,792, but he could be helped by the fact that UKIP are targeting the Thanet South seat and their leading light Nigel Farage could take away Tory support.

And for virtually the last 40 years whichever party has won the Dartford and Gravesham seats has also won the general election. Both seats are held by Labour with majorities of under 5,000.

The Liberal Democrats have never done as well as regional opinion polls suggest they should have, but Norman Baker will be expected to hold on to his Lewes seat, and the party believe they have chances in Eastbourne, Folkestone and Mid Sussex.

In many parts of the South, the Liberal Democrats are concentrating efforts on their decapitation policy which aims to unseat some of the leading lights within the Conservative Party.

They include the West Dorset seat of shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin who has a majority of only 1,414 and Theresa May, shadow secretary of state for the family, who currently holds the seat of Maidenhead with a majority of 3284.

But the seat the Liberal Democrats would love to gain is Michael Howard's Folkestone constituency.

Also standing in Folkestone is Rodney Hylton-Potts, winner of ITV's Vote for Me programme. His 'Get Britain Back' party is calling for no immigration, withdrawal from the EU and castration of paedophiles.