Archive for February, 2009

My Draft List of Matters for WMRSS Proposed Phase 2 Revision

February 13, 2009 · Filed under Housing, Planning, SWJCS, WMRSS

To the Panel Secretary

Thank you for your letter and email of last week, together with the minutes of the WMRSS Proposed Phase 2 Revision Pre-Examination Meeting and enclosed notes for guidance.

Below is the Draft List of Matters which I propose to cover in my Examination-in-Public Submission :

Matter 1. Context of the Phase 2 Revision

  • Do proposed changes constitute a Review ?
  • Sustainability Appraisal and SEA issues
  • Separation of Phases 2 and 3

Matter 2. Level of Growth in Region 2006-2026

  • Indicators of Dysfunctional Growth
  • The Real Economy (as distinct from speculative)
  • The Housing Market

Matter 3. The Spatial Strategy

  • Existing RSS likely to cope with “real” growth to 2016
  • Difference between  “spatial strategy” and “development scenario”
  • Proposed Phase 2 Revision needs more “nuanced” approach

Matter 4. The Sub-Regional Dimension (Worcestershire)

  • Importance of Urban Renaissance at sub-regional level
  • Legacy of previous regional planning policy ie dispersion
  • Transport issues eg proposed Worcestershire Parkway
  • Issues for South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy

Matter 5. Housing

  • Causes and consequences of the “Credit Crunch”
  • Level of empty property in the region
  • Definitions of housing need and “affordability”
  • Issue of “new settlements” eg scale/location

Matter 6. Employment Land

  • “Investment Locations”  & sustainable regeneration
  • Proposals for “Regional Logistics Centres”
  • Employment land & sustainable development
  • Town centre, retail and office policies

Matter 7 . Waste

  • Need for sustainable, balanced and flexible policies

Matter 8. Transport

  • Demand management and modal shift issues
  • Transport investment priorities and relationship to RSS
  • Strategic park and ride (including  parkway stations)

Matter 9. Implementation, Monitoring and Review

My primary interests relate to :

  • SA/SEA and use of project environmental impact assessments
  • Quantum, phasing and type (brown/greenfield) of land supply
  • Links to RES and RHS and related delivery mechanisms

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Proposed WMRSS Phase 2 Revision Examination-in-Public Update

February 5, 2009 · Filed under Housing, Planning, WMRSS

Further Letter to the Panel Secretary 5 February 2009 

Re  : Proposed WMRSS Phase 2 Revision Examination-in-Public

I am writing to you following last week’s Pre-Examination Meeting at the the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton.

As previously indicated, I would like to attend the second Pre-Examination Meeting and the Technical Seminar on Strategic Environmental Assessment/Habitats Regulation Assessment and “Water Issues” on 18 March.

Should there be a further seminar on “Implementation Issues”, particularly with regard to housing, I should also be interested in attending this.

I intend to provide a written submission on a number of issues identified in the draft List of Matters, and look forward to receiving the final version of this.

With regard to Matter 1, at last week’s meeting I raised the issue of whether the changes proposed to the current West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy constitute a Review rather than a Revision. I suggest this issue should be addressed when the “procedural soundness of the RSS Revision” is considered and I would, therefore, welcome the opportunity to participate in the appropriate Examination hearing.

My wider interest in the Proposed WMRSS Phase 2 Revision Examination process might be summarised as follows :

The quantum and phasing of land supply for housing, employment  and associated physical and social infrastructure, and the implications of these for the environment, including landscape and built heritage, as well as for sustainable regeneration and urban renaissance at the regional and sub-regional levels.

Therefore, Matters 4  (The Sub-Regional Dimension, particularly with regard to the Remainder of South HMA/Worcestershire) and 9 (Implementation, Monitoring and Review) are also of considerable interest to me.

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