Regional and Strategic Policy
Regional and strategic planning policies were contained within the Regional Spatial Strategy for the West Midlands (RSS) as of January 2008 (incorporating changes resulting from Phase One review of the Regional Spatial Strategy) and the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Structure Plan (1996-2011). However, under changes to the plan-making system introduced by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, Staffordshire County Council no longer prepares strategic policies found in a Structure Plan. Also with effect from 1 April 2010, the RSS together with the existing Regional Economic Strategy (RES) became part of the the West Midlands Regional Strategy. Any WMRSS Phase Two and Phase Three legacy work was to be taken forward as part of the development of the new Regional Strategy on behalf of the
West Midlands Leaders Board and
Advantage West Midlands by a
Joint Strategy & Investment Board. However the Coalition Government has announced the revocation of regional strategies- see latest news below.
Latest news:
20 July 2010: The Planning Inspectorate has confirmed that regional strategies no longer form part of the development plan, although in considering 'other material considerations', evidence that informed the preparation of the revoked regional strategies may be a material consideration, depending on the facts of the case.]
6 July 2010: In a letter to Chief Planning Officers across England, Chief Planner Steve Quartermain has confirmed that the Secretary of State has revoked the Regional Strategies with immediate effect.
Previous News
On 27 May 2010, in a letter sent to Council Leaders across England, Communities secretary Eric Pickles has asked local authorities to take into account the Government's plans to abolish regional strategies. The letter reads:
"I am writing to you today to highlight our commitment in the coalition agreements where we very clearly set out our intentions to rapidly abolish regional strategies and return decision making powers on housing and planning to local councils."
"Consequently decisions on housing supply (including the provision of travellers sites) will rest with Local Planning Authorities without the framework of regional numbers and plans."
"I will make a formal announcement on this matter soon. However, I expect Local Planning Authorities and the Planning Inspectorate to have regard to this letter as a material consideration in any decisions they are currently taking."
From 1 April 2010, the
West Midlands Leaders Board (WMLB) and
Advantage West Midlands (AWM), as the Responsible Regional Authorities, will now take forward all Regional Strategy work. The Regional Strategy will consist of the existing Regional Economic Strategy (RES) and the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy (WMRSS) as of January 2008.
For more information on the changes to regional policy please view the
final update produced by the West Midlands Regional Assembly.
9 March 2010 - Under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act the existing English Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies "become" the new Regional Strategies on 1 April until they are replaced under the new arrangements. The Regional Spatial Strategies alone will continue to be part of the statutory development plan alongside councils' Local Development Documents. It is understood that on the 1 April, the Secretary of State will issue a Direction confirming that the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy 2008 (incorporating the Phase 1 Black Country Revision) is the version that will hold this status.
The publication of the Secretary of States Proposed Changes to the RSS Phase 2 Revision for a period of consultation has been delayed, after the Department of Communities and Local Government received legal advice, to ensure that those proposed changes fully meet legislative requirements following the successful judicial review of the Secretary of State's decisions on the East of England RSS.
In the interim, we anticipate confirmation from Government Office that the Secretary of State's Phase 2 Revision Proposed Changes, when published, are a material planning consideration of some weight. Further information is available below:
January 2010 - Proposals for the review of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) have ceased as the RSS is to be replaced by a new style Regional Strategy. For details visit the
West Midlands Regional Assembly web site.
In the interim, it has been also decided to prepare a "policy statement" covering the provision of aggregates in the West Midlands to assist in the preparation of Minerals Core Strategies. This policy statement has to be completed by the end of March 2010. For details visit the
West Midlands Regional Assembly web site. The County Council has been consulted by the Regional Assembly on the policy options and a report put to the January 2010 Planning Committee. For report click
here.
6 August 2009 - Staffordshire County Council's Planning Committee approved a report recommending comments on the regional minerals policies for the Cabinet to consider as part of the County Council's response to the consultation. For further details please view a copy of the
Planning Committee report.(Agenda item 6).
The Cabinet considered its response on 19 August 2009 - for more details please view the
Cabinet agenda.
29 June 2009 - The Phase 3 review of the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy began on 29 June and ran until 14 August 2009.
The review will consider:
- rural services
- housing for gypsies and travellers
- culture, sport and tourism
- environment - including flood risk, air quality,, renewable energy and Green Belt
- minerals - safeguarding policies and the supply of construction aggregates and brick clay
More information about the Phase 3 review is available from the West Midlands Regional Assembly.
To find out more about all the revisions to the RSS please visit the West Midlands Regional Assembly
revision page.
'Saved policies'
A direction from the Government c/o the Government Office for the West Midlands has confirmed the 'saved policies' in our adopted Structure Plan with effect from 28 September 2007. For more details please view our saved policies page.
The West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy (now part of the Regional Strategy)
The RSS contains the following mineral policies under the heading 'Quality of the Environment'
- mineral working for non-energy minerals (policy M1)
- minerals - aggregates (policy M2)
- minerals - the use of alternative sources of material (policy M3)
- energy minerals (policy M4)
- targets for waste management facilities (policy WD1)
- the need for waste management facilities (policy WD2)
- criteria for the location of waste management facilities (policy WD3)
West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)
(Adobe pdf, 9.7mb)
Alternatively the RSS document is available in chapters (smaller files) at the West Midlands Regional Assembly website.
The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Structure Plan
The Structure Plan contains the following minerals and waste policies:
- the need for minerals (policy MW1)
- maintaining mineral supply (policy MW2 - not saved - see 'Latest news' above)
- the efficient use and recycling of minerals (policy MW3)
- conservation of mineral resources (policy MW4)
- sustainable waste management (policy MW5)
- evaluation of proposals (policy MW6)
- the relationship to conservation and/or Development initiatives (policy MW7)
- transportation of minerals and waste (policy MW8)
- reclamation (policy MW9)
More information is available on our Structure Plan page.
For contact details to discuss regional and strategic minerals and waste policy issues view our contacts page.
For contact details and other useful links relating to general regional or strategic planning policy enquiries view our policy contacts page.
Last Modified:
10/08/2010 08:34:55
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