Planning history

Regional planning body

Following the closure of the North East Assembly in March 2009, an interim Regional Planning Body - the North East Planning Body - was set up to deliver statutory responsibilities and informal work to gather evidence and set up governence structures to develop a North East Strategy.

The North East Planning Body (NEPB) was responsible for dealing with a wide range of planning and other spatial issues at a regional level. The NEPB also delivered the statutory planning functions until the legislative change.

Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)

Previous Regional Planning Guidance for the North East (RPG1) became the statutory RSS in September 2004. Following the adoption of the RSS in July 2008, RPG1 was replaced with the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS).  The RSS set out a broad development strategy for the region up to 2021. It covered  Northumberland; County Durham; Tyne and Wear and the Tees Valley.

Read more about the Regional Spatial Strategy.

Monitoring and reviewing

Monitoring and reviewing the progress of the RSS was a crucial role for the NEPB as the interim regional planning body. Each year an annual monitoring report (AMR) was produced, which measured the progress against the delivery of the key objectives of the RSS. The AMR was prepared in collaboration with the region's local authorities and other regional partners.

Read more about the monitoring role.

Conformity of local plans

The NEPB checked and consulted on local authorities' local development frameworks (LDFs) and major planning proposals as they were prepared, to make sure that they conformed to the wider RSS strategy.

Read more about conformity of local plans.

Research

The NEPB initiated and led on key areas of research to guarantee the RSS was kept up to date and was based on a robust evidence base. Read more about research projects.