Consultation and approval
The regional spatial strategy should be revised within 35 months, from start to finish. Small-scale revisions could be done quicker than this.
Early consultations
The first opportunity to get involved is likely to be a meeting (reference PPS 11, annex D, paragraphs 18-26).
The planners will use it to see if people agree with the issues they intend to include in the strategy.
Strategies to do with the environment and sustainability should be covered.
The regional planners will want to make sure they hear the views of people and groups that might miss out if they relied on responses to draft documents.
They could use
- Opinion polls
- Focus groups
- Invitation workshops
- Umbrella groups
as well as consulting with the usual expert groups. (reference: PPS 11, annex D, paragraphs 30-40).
The Government suggests that the planners could set up a formal group with a membership that is representative of the community. This group would be consulted at key stages.
Another idea from the Government is to use mediation where strong differences of opinion emerge.
Consultation on the submitted strategy
When the draft strategy is ready, there is usually another period of public consultation.
- Theregional planning body publishes it and submits it to the secretary of state
- A formal period for comment follows, at least 12 weeks for a major revision or 6 weeks a minor amendment.
- Late representations can be ignored.
A series of supporting papers accompanies the strategy:
- Background technical documents
- The sustainability appraisal statement
- A statement on consultations
The planning body makes the documents available for inspection at its main office (and probably elsewhere) and publishes them on its website. It also circulates them to relevant people for consultation, in line with its statement on public participation. (reference: PPS 11, annex D, paragraphs 42-48).
Examination in public
By law, the secretary of state has to consider the comments made. In practice, it is the panel appointed by the secretary of state to hold the examination in public that will consider them.
Government policy also suggests that the views expressed might have some bearing on the selection of who is invited to attend the examination in public.
The panel prepares lists of what issues will be discussed and who will be invited.
These lists are open for consultation for 28 days.
Final approval and report from the panel
The panel writes a detailed report for the secretary of state. It will include any recommendations for changes to the strategy.
There is no formal opportunity to comment on it, but you can write to the secretary of state with your views.
Secretary of state's proposed changes
Any changes proposed by the secretary of state are open for public comment for at least eight weeks.
They will be
- Sent to anyone who was consulted or made comments on the submitted strategy
- Made available for inspection at local planning authority offices
- Placed on the websites of the secretary of state, the Government Office and the regional planning body
- Subject to a Sustainability Appraisal
You can make comments, but there is no proactive engagement with the community at this stage. This avoids accusations that some people have favoured access to the final decisions.
Secretary of state's final changes
The secretary of state will consider any representations on his proposed changes and will then publish the final strategy.
It will be
- Made available for inspection in the same places as the draft strategy and at every local planning authority in the region
- Placed on the secretary of state's website
- Sent to everyone who took part in the examination in public