Revocation of Regional Strategies
Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, announced on the 6 July that with immediate effect "Regional Spatial Strategies" will be revoked in a Parliamentary written statement. Given the significance of this measure, Communities and Local Government Chief Planning Officer, Steve Quartermain, has also written to all chief planning officers in England guidance on the immediate issues that may arise from this announcement.
The Secretary of State considered this measure was necessary because:
"Regional Strategies added unnecessary bureaucracy to the planning system. They were a failure. They were expensive and time consuming. They alienated people, pitting them against development instead of encouraging people to build in their local area.
The revocation of Regional Strategies will make local spatial plans, drawn up in conformity with national policy, the basis for local planning decision. The new planning system will be clear, efficient and will put greater power in the hands of local people, rather than regional bodies."
The key implications of this abolition regional spatial strategies is that their policies are no longer part of the development plan; English Local Planning Authorities, through their own development plan documents, are now entirely responsible for establishing the right level of housing provision in their area, and identifying a long term supply of housing land without now having to now adhere to regional housing targets set in the previous Regional Spatial Strategy.
In London, the London Plan will continue to provide the planning framework for the London Boroughs. However, the guidance letter also states that the Government is also considering whether powers and discretion can be shifted downwards from central Government to the Mayor and the assembly, to the London Boroughs and to local neighbourhoods. This will include devolving power from the Greater London Authority down to the Boroughs and below
However, Local Planning Authorities will still need to justify their housing figures - including a 5 year housing supply - in their development plan documents during the LDF examination process.
For further information and to discuss the implications of this announcement upon your property development interests, including how this could impact upon housing schemes that you might have, then please contact your normal CgMs contact or Richard Tilley who heads up our housing team.
To view the Secretary of States announcement please click here.
