Regional planning

Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)
Under the revised planning system, the role of regional planning has become more important. The West Midlands Regional Assembly (WMRA) acting as the regional planning body, now has the responsibility of preparing the West Midlands RSS. The RSS will guide the growth and development of the region over the next two decades up to 2026.

When it was adopted in 2004, the RSS became part of the statutory Development Plan for the region, which means all local planning authorities in the West Midlands need to ensure all their planning documents conform to policies in the RSS.

RSS Phase 3 Draft Project Plan - consultation
As part of the phased revision to the adopted RSS the West Midlands Regional Assembly has now reached Phase 3 follow the link on this page for details). The Regional Assembly has prepared a Draft Project Plan explaining how Phase 3 will be managed and which topic areas are to be considered. The Draft Project Plan is out for consultation between 27 November 2007 and 18 January 2008. If you would like to find out more or to make any comments on the Project Plan follow the relevant link on this page to the Regional Assembly website.

Revisions to the RSS
Although the RSS was adopted in 2004, it was agreed that the document would need to go through a process of revision so as to fully meet the requirements of the new planning system. The government therefore set out the need for an early partial revision of the RSS to be carried out by the WMRA in three phases:

• Phase 1 – the Black Country Study, assessing opportunities and capacity for growth and development in the Black Country sub-region.
• Phase 2 – development of a broad range of polices for housing, employment, waste management, transport infrastructure including airport facilities and the planning and management of strategic town and city centres.
• Phase 3 – development of a broad range of policies to support both the objectives of Phase 2 and an integrated programme of regeneration and renewal in the major urban areas and shire counties of the region.

Phase 2 - Spatial Options consultation - "Where, what and how many"
Having undertaken phase 1 of this process the West Midlands Regional Assembly are now developing phase 2. The Regional Assembly has prepared a set of 'spatial options' for phase 2 covering the issues of housing, employment, waste management, transport infrastructure and the planning and management of strategic town and city centres. The 'spatial options' set out a wide range of questions and choices relating to the development of the Region up to 2021 and beyond. Answers to these questions will go a long way to deciding what sort of West Midlands we will have in twenty year's time. The Regional Assembly consulted the public on these options earlier this year. To view the 'spatial options' document follow the appropriate link on this page to the West Midlands Regional Assembly website.

During the preparation of the spatial options the Regional Assembly consulted the Strategic Planning Authorities in the West Midlands with a set of issues and questions. These strategic authorities are known as Section 4(4) authorities and incorporate all unitary and county councils, including Shropshire County Council. Shropshire County Council submitted its response through a set of reports to the Regional Assembly on 15 May 2006. Each of these reports can be viewed by following the relevant attachments on this page.

Shropshire's other regional roles
The County Council also has ongoing roles in the implementation of the Regional Spatial Strategy:

• Regional Conformity Advisor for Shropshire - the council examines new planning documents and significant applications in the five district and borough councils in the county, and provides advice to the WMRA about how they conform with the principles of the Regional Spatial Strategy.
• Rural Renaissance Lead - the council acts as a lead in promoting the regeneration of rural areas in the West Midlands Region.