Regional Spatial Strategy

Regional spatial strategies (RSS) provided regional level planning frameworks for the regions of England outside London. (In London, spatial planning is the responsibility of the mayor.) They were introduced in 2004. Their revocation was announced by the new Conservative/Liberal Democrat government on 6 July 2010.

RSS emerged from the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, which abolished structure plans and replaced regional planning guidance (RPG) with RSS, which then became the strategic level plan charged with informing local development frameworks (LDFs). These were required to be in ‘general conformity’ with an RSS, which is a statutory, legal document.

Planning Policy Statement 11: Regional Spatial Strategies commonly abbreviated as PPS 11, set out the procedural policy on the nature of RSSs and focuses on what should happen in preparing revisions to them and explains how this relates to the Act and associated regulations. The current version was introduced in September 2004.

Regional Spatial Strategies were expected to:

They were each subject to a strategic environmental assessment.

RSS were prepared by the relevant regional planning body (RPB), in the form of the Regional Assembly, and were then submitted to the Secretary of State. Once the RPB prepared a draft RSS, it published it for at least 12 weeks public consultation.

Following public consultation, an Examination in Public was held to debate and test the RPB’s proposals. A Panel formed by the Planning Inspectorate - independent of the RPB and central Government - oversaw this process. Following the Examination in Public, the Panel prepared a report of findings and recommendations to the Government on how the draft RSS might be improved. The Government then issued Proposed Changes to the draft strategy, taking account of the Panel’s recommendations and representations on any matters not considered at the Examination in Public.

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