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Sub regional planning

The abolition of structure plans was not the end of sub-regional planning (reference: PPS 11, paragraphs 1.13-15 and 2.27-30).

It is mainly an element of regional planning through the regional spatial strategy (RSS).

However

  • minerals
  • waste
  • local transport planning
are still treated as local policy issues, and remain the responsibility of county councils and unitary authorities.

The regional planning body decides where sub-regional policy is needed.

The whole region is not necessarily split up into sub-regions in order to set sub-regional variations on a regional policy.

Many parts of a region may well only have the regional policy and will not be covered by any sub-regional policies.

The exception to this is that the region is broken into sub-regions to distribute the requirements for housing and employment.

Sub-regions are more likely to be set up for things that apply only to parts of the region.

The regional planning body can choose the boundaries for a sub-region.

It does not need to follow administrative boundaries.

Local authorities will prepare the first draft of detailed proposals for sub-regions, unless the regional planning body and the authorities agree to reallocate the tasks. There is no limit in law to the scope of sub-regional policies within the strategy.

A sub-region that forms a coherent planning unit could straddle two or more regions. In such cases two or more regional spatial strategies would include the sub-regional planning policy. There will be scope to consider the sub-regional policy at a single examination in public. (reference: PPS 11, paragraph 1.15)

Sub-regional strategies are where you will find more detailed policies about the scale and location of development in the region

such as

  • Housing numbers
  • Transport projects
  • Airport expansion

However, sub-regional strategies should not undermine the sustainable development policies or the regional spatial strategy.

Get involved in your sub-region and make sure you put your views across, insisting that the proposals for the sub-region do not undermine good policies in the main strategy.