Regional Planning (Hansard, 4 November 1974)

§ Mr. John Silkin

The current state of progress on planning strategies in each region of England is set out below. Generally, approved regional strategies are mainly implemented by the local planning authorities through the statutory structure planning system.Northern Region. The strategy team commissioned jointly by the Department, the regional economic planning council and the region's structure planning authorities has started work. It is expected to report in about two years. North-West Region. A strategic plan drafted by a team commissioned on a similar tripartite basis was published on 7th May. I hope to give views on the proposals in the light of comments received from everyone concerned by the Summer Recess of 1975. Yorkshire and Humberside Region. A strategy to 1981 prepared by the economic planning council was approved in July 1971 in general terms by the previous administration who asked however for certain further studies. The economic planning council is in process of discussing with the new county councils the question of revisions to the strategy in the light of the results of those studies. It is expected that a revised strategy will be published before the end of 1975. West Midlands Region. A strategy prepared by the West Midlands Planning Authorities Conference was submitted to the then Secretary of State in November 1973 and approved by him, with comments and reservations, in January of this year. An organisation has been set up to monitor the strategy and make regular reports. East Midlands Regions. A study by the regional economic planning council was published in 1969 and has been followed by local authority sub-regional studies for Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire. No formal strategy for the whole region is as yet projected. East Anglia Region. A team commissioned jointly by central government, the economic planning council and the structure planning authorities has completed a strategy report which will be published at the beginning of 1975 for public comment. I hope to give views on the proposals in the light of comments received from the economic planning council, local authorities and others by the Summer Recess. South-West Region. The economic planning council's strategic settlement pattern report was published on 22nd April and will be considered by the Government in the light of comments 56W from local authorities and others interested. Further publications recommending strategic policies for particular sectors of the regional economy will be produced in due course. South-East Region. The strategic plan for the South-East, produced by a joint team under the ìxgis of central Government, the Standing Conference of London and South Eastern Planning Authorities, and the South-East Economic Planning Council, was approved by the then Secretary of State in October 1971. A monitoring group has produced a first report on the strategy—published in May 1973—and is continuing to assess the strategy, in consultation with the standing conference.