Regional Planning Policy

West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy (WMRSS)

The WMRSS is prepared by the West Midlands Regional Assembly and is an important planning document for the whole region. Together with the Shropshire Local Development Framework (LDF) the WMRSS will form the 'Development Plan' for the county, and will therefore be used in the determination of planning applications.

It is important that the planning policies prepared by Shropshire Council as part of the emerging LDF remain in general conformity with policies and proposals contained in the WMRSS. This means that specific targets set at the regional level need to be taken account of in the LDF. This includes overall countywide targets for housing, employment, office, retail, waste and mineral development. The RSS also has more specific targets for Shrewsbury town, which the Shropshire LDF should also conform to.

Regional Spatial Strategy - Phased Review

The current WMRSS was adopted in June 2004. Since then the West Midlands Regional Assembly has been working on a phased review of the RSS in order to bring its policies in line with updated national planning policy, and to reflect changes to important evidence.

This review has been carried out in three phases:

• Phase 1: Black Country Study - Assessed 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 1 was completed and adopted in January 2008. Phase 2 has reached a 'preferred options' stage and will be subject to an Examination in Public (EiP) beginning in April 2009.

The Panel Report on Phase 2 has now been published and is available to view on the WMRA website.

Follow the link on this page to the West Midlands Regional Assembly website to find out more information on the WMRSS and the phased review.

Shropshire's other Regional Roles

Shropshire Council will have ongoing roles in the implementation of the Regional Spatial Strategy, including:

• Regional Conformity Advisor - the Council will examine new planning documents and significant applications and provide advice to the WMRA about how they conform with the principles of the Regional Spatial Strategy.
• Rural Renaissance Lead - the Council will continue to act as a 'Policy Lead' in promoting the regeneration of rural areas in the West Midlands Region.

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