§ The Minister for Housing and Planning (Keith Hill)My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister is today publishing for public consultation Proposed Changes to the draft Regional Planning Guidance for the West Midlands (RPG11). They follow the Public Examination into draft RPG11 in June and July 2002.
The draft RPG was prepared and published by the Regional Planning Body (RPB). It provides a broad framework for the preparation of development plans and local development frameworks by the West Midlands local Planning authorities up to 2021. The overall strategy is to develop the major urban areas in such a way that they can increasingly meet their own economic and social needs in order to counter the unsustainable outward movement of people and jobs facilitated by previous strategies; address more effectively the major changes which are challenging the traditional roles of rural areas and the countryside; ensure that opportunities for growth are linked to meeting needs and that they help reduce social exclusion; and support the sustainable development of the region.
30WSThe Office of the Deputy Prime Minister support these aims, and as recommended by the panel, we are proposing changes to ensure the strategy is more clearly and succinctly expressed. It is important that the implications for development plans and other strategies are clear and unambiguous in order to make a real difference on the ground.
A key issue for the region is to bring about the urban renaissance of the major urban areas (MUAs) by creating a step change in urban regeneration processes and programmes. This is seen as essential to halt the drift of population to the surrounding shire areas. This objective, to encourage sustainable urban communities, is consistent with those of the communities plan (sustainable communities; building for the future).
The proposed changes support the draft RPG approach to housing provision. The major urban areas will increasingly meet their own housing needs, with reducing provision for migration to the surrounding shires and unitary areas. There is a transition from the former ratio of new housing development between the major urban areas and other areas of 1:2, through a position at 2007 where this is near 1:1, to 2011 where the ratio is in favour of the major urban areas.
The panel considered the need for the western bypasses for Wolverhampton and Stourbridge to support draft RPG's spatial strategy was not demonstrated, and recommended that they should be deleted. Instead of the Study proposed by the RPB, the Panel recommended a much wider sub-regional study to resolve issues within the Black Country, including housing capacity, employment, land, scope for environmental and town centre improvements, and improvements to access to regeneration sites particularly on its eastern side. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has supported this recommendation in his announcement on the West Midlands area multi-Modal Study and the Proposed Changes reflect this.
My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister supports the panel's recommendation that Brierley Hill should not be included in the list of strategic town and city centres. However, he does not agree with the panel's recommendations on further retail development at Merry Hill, and has made it clear that any decisions on this issue will need to be made in the light of the RPB having decided its regional priorities for focusing retail, leisure and office development. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister considers that the future of Brierley Hill/Merry Hill should also be considered as part of the Black Country study referred to above. Any expansion of Merry Hill would be subject to transport improvements.
In considering these proposed changes and carrying out any future review of RPG 11 it is important that account is taken of the principles set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill (published 4 December 2002), in particular the need to make RPG shorter and more strategic; more regionally specific; and more integrated and co-ordinated with other regional strategies; the increasing importance of introducing sub-regional policies within RPG's will also need to be addressed; and ensuring that the RPG process does not avoid making difficult decisions.
31WSI have today written to the RPB with the proposed changes and indicating areas where views are particularly sought from any interested parties. There will now be a public consultation period on the proposed changes, which will end on 12 December 2003.
Copies of the relevant documents are available in the Libraries of the House and have been provided for all of the region's MPs, MEPs, and local authorities.