Regional strategies - Transport Policy and Planning in Great Britain - page 295

Administrative procedures
As a result of the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act the planning
documents previously known as Regional Planning Guidance have been re-titled
Regional Spatial Strategies and now form part of the statutory development plan for
an area. Technically therefore new strategies are classed as 'revisions' of these initial
documents. A single strategy is prepared for each of the English administrative regions
outside London.
Regional Planning Bodies (RPBs - to date the Regional Assemblies) have the
principal responsibility for preparing revisions to an RSS. Formally these are 'draft'
revisions since the final version has to be issued by the Secretary of State (DCLG).
The issues to be addressed and a timetable for the revision process have to be
agreed between an RPB and the relevant Government Regional Office. The main
stages in the revision process are:
• identify revision issues and prepare a project plan
• develop options and policies, assess effects and prepare draft RSS
• publish draft RSS and provide for formal consultation
• examination in public conducted by independent Panel
• publication of Panel report and consultation on proposed changes to draft RSS
• Secretary of State issues final RSS.
A maximum overall timescale of three years is envisaged of which only 15 months
is allocated to the preparation of the draft RSS itself.
Although the RPB has the leadership role in the preparation process this has to
be carried out on the basis of partnership working with regional stakeholders and
community involvement. RPBs are encouraged to establish topic groups of stakeholders
reporting to a central steering group - these to include representatives from the
Regional Development Agency and other bodies producing strategies at the regional
level as well as organisations responsible for key infrastructure and services critical to
RSS delivery. The RPB is also statutorily required to prepare, publish and keep under
review a statement of public participation. The PPS makes clear that 'consultation'
in this context is not viewed as a one-off exercise but rather a continuous process of
pro-active involvement.
Primarily because of the abolition of Structure Plans and the consequent loss of
direct planning powers by County Councils, the 2004 Act made specific provision
for the involvement of these and other principal councils (so-called section 4(4)
authorities) in the preparation of draft RSS. RPBs are required to seek the advice of
these bodies with strategic planning expertise. They may also enter into arrangements
with them in commissioning items of technical work. (Land use/transport studies
cutting across individual local authority boundaries are highlighted as an example.)
Where an RPB decides to include policies which are specific to particular parts of
a region (e.g. for individual city regions or growth areas) then the relevant 4(4)
authorities also have the right to prepare what are known as 'first detailed proposals'
for these sub-regional elements.
There are requirements for publication of the draft RSS and associated documents,
including to all councils in the area affected by the revisions and to other consultees.
A period of between 6 and 12 weeks (depending on the scale of revision) is then
allowed for representations to be submitted on the draft. Except where only minor