Clause 5 - RSS: revision
Planning and Compulsory Purchase (Re-committed) Bill
11:15 am
Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold, Conservative)
There should be something in the Bill about updating regional spatial strategies. In previous proceedings on the Bill, we have made it more than clear that we disapprove of the regional element of planning, and we will discuss the role of regional planning bodies when we come to later amendments. However, we accept that the Government wish there to be a regional role to planning.
Designated regional planning bodies would not be properly democratically accountable, particularly in the absence of a referendum, but if they are to exist, their RSSs should be regularly reviewed—at least every five years. The hon. Member for Ludlow is right: such reviews should definitely take place within five years; indeed, we hope that they would take place sooner. The expectation should be that the RSS is regularly reviewed. After all, if the local planning authority is required to review its local plan documents regularly, there is no reason why the regional body should not live up to the same expectations.