Regional Spatial Strategy

The Regional Spatial Strategy, or RSS, is a new kind of plan for the South West up to 2026 and replaces Regional Planning Guidance 10 (2001). The RSS sets out the Government’s policies in relation to the development of land within the region and responds to the challenge of building sustainable communities.

As part of the statutory development plan it provides policies on the location and scale of development that will be taken forward by Local Authorities in their Local Development Frameworks (LDFs). It also embodies the Regional Transport Strategy which must be taken into account by Local Authorities preparing Local Transport Plans and is an important influence on housing, economic development, waste and other strategies as well as the investment plans and priorities of other agencies in the region.

Key features of the Secretary of State's proposed changes to the draft Strategy include:

• A substantial increase in the proposed housing requirement for the region from 23,000 to 29,600 per annum including 10,000 as affordable homes. It proposes to increase the Torridge residential requirement, in line with Panel recommendations, from the 4,800 dwelling requirement, 2006-2026, in the draft Strategy to 10,700. The North Devon development requirement is also increased, again in line with Panel recommendations, from 8,100 to 10,900 dwellings, of which 7,200 is required to be provided in (4,800) and around (2,400) Barnstaple.
• Incorporation of new Gypsy and Traveller pitch requirements, which will require local authorities to identify sites for residential and transit pitches. In Torridge the pitch requirement, up to 2011, is 24 residential pitches and 5 transit pitches, in North Devon the requirement is 5 residential and 5 transit pitches.

The Secretary of State published the proposed changes to the draft RSS on the 22nd July 2008. This marked the start of the 12 week consultation which ends on 17th October 2008.