Government Offices work with regional partners to develop, implement and monitor ‘Regional Spatial Strategies,’ which set out Government’s planning and transport policy for each region for a 15-20 year period. The strategies provide frameworks for determining planning applications, as well as for preparing both Local Development Documents and Local Transport Plans.
More information on the national picture
Regional Spatial Strategy published September 2008 and related documents
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) (16106 KB) (Hi Resolution)
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) (7222 KB) (Low Resolution)
Addendum RSS key diagram (872 KB)
Minor Typographical Corrections (22kb)
RSS revised key diagram (2523 KB)
Summary of Representations and Reasons for Further Changes (2749 KB)
Addendum Summary of Representations and Reasons for Further Changes (21 KB)
Publication Statement (64 KB)
Letter to Regional Leaders Forum (327 KB)
Sustainability Appraisal Non Technical Summary (4028 KB)
Sustainability Appraisal Statement (1585 KB)
Sustainability Appraisal Consolidated Report (3204 KB)
Habitats Regulations Assessment Consolidated Report (3845 KB)
Health and Equality Impact Assessment (1845KB)
List of Locations where documents can be viewed (1492 KB)
Hard copies of the Regional Spatial Strategy are available from www.tsoshop.co.uk, Tel 0870 6005522.
The Implementation Framework referred to in Chapter 14 of the Regional Spatial Strategy is under preparation by the Regional Leaders Forum (4NW).
Previous Stages in preparation of Regional Spatial Strategy
Draft RSS
Draft Regional Spatial Strategy (4327 KB) published by NWRA.
On 15 July 2008 the North West Regional Assembly ceased to exist and the new North West Leaders Forum 4NW was launched.
The Draft RSS Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment documents together with more detailed Technical Papers and Scoping Reports are available from the Regional Leaders Forum website.
Examination in Public
The Panel Report following Examination in Public can be downloaded from the Examination in Public website
Secretary of State’s Proposed Changes to draft RSS
Proposed Changes to RSS (12772 KB)
The Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulations Assessment and Health and Equality Impact Assessment of the Secretary of State’s Proposed Changes and other related documents are available from the Public Consultation Website.
The previous Regional Spatial Strategy
RPG 13 (March 2003) (1102 KB)
Background
Regional Planning Bodies have the main responsibility for preparing Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS). In the North West this is the North West Regional Assembly (NWRA). Later stages are the responsibility of Government Office for the North West, on behalf of the Secretary of State. We also play a key role in implementing the RSS.
NWRA launched a Full Review in July 2004 and, following informal consultations at issues, options, and Interim Draft stages, submitted the Draft RSS to the Secretary of State on 30 January 2006.
The Draft Submitted RSS for North West England (also known as ‘The North West Plan’) was published for public consultation on 20 March 2006.
