WE are writing to inform your readers that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will now not be issuing the final version of the South West Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) at the end of June 2009, as previously announced.

Following a High Court judgment that the plan in the East of England region did not meet certain requirements, the Government have delayed the publication of the South West plan, which will guide development in the region up to 2026, until the implications of this ruling are known.

The draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) prepared by the Regional Planning Body (formerly the Regional Assembly now the Strategic Leaders’ Board) was submitted to Government in April 2006, and the draft Strategy has been through several rounds of consultation including an ‘Examination in Public’ inquiry which ran from April to July 2007.

Regional Leaders are clear that their strategy for the South West (as submitted in April 2006) will deliver the new development needed for future prosperity and meet long term housing needs in the most sustainable way.

The delay to the publication of the final RSS is disappointing as it means further uncertainty for authorities and other partners. However, it does give Government further opportunity to reflect on the significance of the scale of growth and change that has been proposed for the South West.

Given the slow down of the economy and development, we suggest that the level of development proposed by the region in the draft RSS is a more realistic approach, and also has the benefit of being broadly supported by local authorities and partners in the region when it was submitted.

We are urging the Government to take this opportunity to consider carefully the implications for the South West, but to minimize further delays.

The region prepared the draft plan in just two years and submitted it to Government in April 2006, it is disappointing that over three years later we still do not have the final document on which planning decisions for future growth and development can be based.

I’m sure readers will be turning to their local papers to read the latest information on the region’s long term plan and we hope that you will assist us in this regard by giving the document maximum coverage when it is published.

(COUN) ANGUS CAMPBELL

Chairman, Strategic Leaders’ Board

& (COUN) MIKE BAWDEN

Chairman of the Regional Planning Group