Back to Other Meetings page

The Assembly and the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) jointly organised a high level event about planning for the South East’s future on 12 March 2008 in London. The meeting discussed plans for a single regional strategy, merging the South East Plan's 20 year planning vision with the Regional Economic Strategy. Proposals for the merger were announced as part of the Sub-National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration (SNR) in summer 2007.

Calls were made to ensure that expert strategic planning skills were not lost in the process of setting up a new agency to be responsible for regional planning, housing and transport alongside economic development. It was attended by 130 organisations from local government, planning, housing, environmental and business sectors.

Presentations

Copies of the presentations and key points are available below:

Sub-National Review by Communities and Local Government - 84 KB

• Sub-National Review aims and principles
• Reforms in four areas: stronger local authority role in economic development, strengthened regional tier, collaboration across sub-regions and integrated regional strategies from 2010
• Single regional strategies will set out economic, social and environmental objectives
• Regional Development Agencies (RDA) will lead in producing the new strategies
• Economic growth must be determined at the local level and needs to be consistent with climate change and sustainable development targets
• Partial reviews of the South East Plan must take account of the Regional Economic Strategy (RES)
• Challenges and opportunities for local authorities.

Assembly perspective on the future of regional planning by Director of Planning - 360 KB

• Key Assembly achievements include preparing the South East Plan, a 20-year planning framework
• Assembly's strong relationships with local councils and stakeholders made the planning system work
• There is no regional spatial strategy yet adopted in England. They have all been submitted to Government but are not signed-off (timetable per region included)
• Whatever regional planning system is adopted, major consultation will be a key issue
• Councils continue to deliver despite many changes e.g. meeting house building targets
• National Planning Statements will be important but details are not yet clear
• Regional Sustainability Framework must be part of a new regional strategy.

Speech by the Leader of Eastleigh District Council - 38 KB

• Regional planning work has been done since the 60's - it is not new but has evolved
• South East works well across all sectors and levels
• Highlighted differences between the South East Plan and RES
• Welcome clarity on national targets for housing, economic growth and carbon emissions. But if not set nationally the region should decide
• Region is complex and one size doesn't fit all e.g. sub-regional working
• The RDA needs to change significantly
• Councils must be involved in future regional planning decisions
• Can only achieve an integrated strategy if we have common ownership.

Making the single strategy deliver by RTPI Director of Policy and Communications - 185 KB

• Vision for planning - principles for spatial planning are: spatial, sustainable, integrated, inclusive, value-driven and action-orientated
• The new single strategies should be tested on: flexibility, timelessness, co-ordination and delivery
• We need agency, programme and budget alignment
• Find ways to transfer regional skills and improve delivery of the new strategy.

If you are having trouble viewing the documents on this page, please see our help section for free viewer software.

Last updated: 14 March 2008