CSJ PLANNING and CSJ BROOKE SMITH

Abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies & Development Agencies

Regional Spatial Strategies

On 6 July 2010 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced the revocation of Regional Strategies with immediate effect. This means that existing Regional Planning Guidance is no longer in force and no longer forms part of the Development Plan.  

The Government have emphasised that it will be important for local planning authorities to carry on delivering local development frameworks and making decisions on applications and have issued ‘questionand answer' advice on immediate issues that may arise from this announcement. This advice and the associated parliamentary statement can be viewed via the following link: Letter from DCLG

In determining planning applications local planning authorities must continue to have regard to the Development Plan. This will now consist only of:

• Any old style Local Plans that have not lapsed;
• Saved policies; and/or
• Adopted Development Plan Documents.

Local Planning Authorities should also have regard to other material considerations, including national planning policy. Evidence that informed the preparation of the revoked Regional Strategies may also be a material consideration, depending on the facts of the case.

Where Local Planning Authorities have not yet issued decisions on planning applications in the pipeline, they may wish to review those decisions in light of the new freedoms following the revocation of Regional Strategies. The revocation of the Regional Strategy may also be a material consideration.

Government Seeks LEP Proposals to Replace RDAs

At the end of June an announcement was also made that Regional Development Agencies (RDA) would be replaced with Local Economic Partnerships (LEP). However, there is still a range of important details to be clarified - precisely what work will be carried out and what will be undertaken either locally or nationally. Clarification in the White Paper is expected which will be published later in the summer.

Please do contact us for any further guidance on this matter.

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