So Eric Pickles has abolished the Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS), allowing local planning authorities (LPAs) a greater say in delivering local development and meeting their own housing need. It will also be open to them to work with the Improvement Bodies, such as the RDA’s, HCA’s and local RSL’s to improve delivery of development and in particular housing.
This policy decision would appear to accord with the localisation and Total Place agenda. However, the difficulty is there is no framework for LPAs to work within in terms of identifying the development that it should be bringing forward. Its success relies on LPAs being committed to deliver development and identifying those areas which are a priority. A lack of commitment on their part means local areas will suffer in terms of delivery of development. Therefore for Total Place to work within the planning sphere, surely the RSS must be replaced to ensure that development is achieved at the necessary levels?
Posted by Tom Edwards
0115 976 6560
tedwards@brownejacobson.com
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Tags: local planning authorities, localisation, LPAs, regional spatial strategies, Total Place
