Two-stage consultation

The submission draft of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) was submitted to the Government in June 2005 and, following public consultation, an Examination in Public (EiP) was held before an independent panel to test the soundness of the draft RSS. The panel report was published in August 2006, which recommended a number of changes to the submission draft of the RSS.

Due to various recommendations from the panel, the Government decided that it was in the interests of the public and all stakeholders to provide a two-stage consultation. The first stage consultation on the proposed changes to draft RSS ran from 29 May to 6 August 2007. Download the summary of representations made upon the RSS Further Proposed Changes.

Following the first stage, Ministers considered the additional information and representations received, and made the further proposed changes to the draft RSS. The second stage consultation on the Secretary of State's Further Proposed Changes to the draft RSS, commenced on the 2 February until 6 April 2008. Following the consideration of the views and representations received, the Secretary of State issued the final version of the RSS in 2008.

Supplementary information on housing and employment land

Following the submission draft of the RSS being produced in 2004, the rate of economic growth in the region was much higher than expected. The Secretary of State invited the North East Assembly (NEA) to provide supplementary information on both housing provision and employment land during the first consultation to take into account these changes. This information was used by the Government in preparing the further proposed changes to the RSS.

Read more on housing and the RSS.

Links to more RSS related pages:

Regional Spatial Strategy

Submission draft of the RSS

Draft RSS proposed changes

Draft RSS further proposed changes