The West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy
Latest Information
The coalition Government has announced that it intends to
abolish rapidly Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) and return
decision making processes for planning and housing to local
Councils. This intention is set out in the Government’s
Programme published May 2010 and more recently in a letter from
Eric Pickles MP.
Consequently, in the interim the three district
Councils will continue to work together on the South
Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP).
Briefing note for Malvern Hills Members - RSS status at
November 2010
Click
here to read letter from The South Worcestershire Joint Advisory
Panel. .
Click here to read letter from Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP
News at May
2011: The Bill has so far passed the
Committee Stage in March 2011 and will now progress to the
Report Stage and Third Reading. The Bill will then move to the
House of Lords and thereafter a period of consideration of
amendments before gaining Royal Assent in early 2012.
Historical Context
The West Midlands Regional Assembly (WMRA) has overall
responsibility for deciding how the West Midlands will grow and
develop in the future. The WMRA is asking all regional and
local organisations and communities about the choices and direction
that could be taken in the region to 2026.
On 7th November 2005 the West Midlands Regional Assembly (WMRA)
commenced a partial review of the West Midlands Regional Spatial
Strategy (RSS). The purpose of the RSS is to guide the
preparation of local authority development plans and local
transport plans. In Malvern Hills District, the RSS is a
statutory plan, which along with the Local Plan, has ‘development
plan’ status. This means the RSS has to be taken into account not
just in considering planning applications within the District, but
also in setting the land use policy direction for the District,
currently up to 2026.
The review process will establish regional planning policy for
the period up to the year 2026 and is therefore of major
significance across the region and specifically for Malvern Hills
District and the South Worcestershire area as the document
represents part of the statutory policy framework for the
development of the South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy
(SWJCS). Amongst many land use issues which will be addressed,
importantly, the RSS review will lead to detailed housing and
employment requirements being established for Malvern Hills
District up until the year 2026. It will also examine
within the overall requirement, how additional new affordable
housing provision can be made.
The WMRA has stated that they intend to keep all District and
Town / Parish Council’s informed of the process and everyone will
have the opportunity of becoming involved and making their views
known.
The WMRA is undertaking the review process in
three phases, which cover a range of topics outlined by the
Secretary of State.
Phase One:
The Phase One partial review dealt with the Black Country and
has been completed and the changes arising from the review have
been incorporated in the adopted WMRSS.
Phase Two:
The Phase Two Partial Review focuses upon
regional housing figures, employment land provision, roles for
centres, transport and waste matters. This was subject to
Examination In Public (EIP) in April 2009 and the EIP Panel is
anticipated to release its report to the Secretary of State in
early Autumn 2009. The Secretary of State will then consider
the Panel’s report and publish suggested changes or
consultation.
The RSS Phase Two Partial Review is of major significance for
Malvern Hills District and Worcestershire generally as, amongst
other things, the Review will address district level requirements
for housing and employment development in the period up to 2026.
The RSS Options consultation will also establish how Worcester City
will grow in the period up to 2026 in relation to its role as a
sub-regional focus for longer term balanced growth, with its
associated implications for cross boundary development.
The West Midlands Regional Assembly presented a Draft Revision
of the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy to the Secretary of
State on the 21st December 2007. The submission documents were
subject to a formal public consultation between 7th January 2008
and 28th March 2008. Following the submission of the Phase Two
Revision to the Secretary of State the management of the final
stages of the process will be led by the Government Office of the
West Midlands (GOWM).
A report was presented to the District Council’s Planning
Committee on 22nd February 2007 setting out a
response to the consultation, and was presented to Council on
6th March 2007.
Phase Three:
The Phase Three partial review is primarily concerned with
critical rural services, provision for gypsies, travellers and
travelling show people, culture, sport and tourism, quality of the
environment and minerals policy
A report was presented to the District Council’s Planning
Committee on 8th September 2009 setting out a response
to the Phase Three Partial Review consultation.
Further Information
All draft policies and supporting documents are available for
inspection in all main libraries and at the customer service centre
in Malvern. Also, documents can be viewed and downloaded from the
Regional Assembly website or hard copies and CDs can be
obtained by contacting the Regional Assembly on (0121) 245 0200 or
by emailing them on wmrss@wmra.gov.uk.
Please use the following link to view the adopted
Regional Spatial Strategy
Further details are available from the WMRA web site http://www.wmra.gov.uk/ or by
telephoning them on 0121 245 0200.
