RSS 11 for the West Midlands is being partially reviewed in three stages.

A consultation on Options for Phase 3 of the review (dealing with Gypsies and Travellers, Culture and Sport, Environmental issues and Minerals) was held between July and August 2009 and the Regional Assembly has created a digest of responses. More details can be found on their website.

CPRE response to the consultation:

• Pressed for strong policies on tranquility and landscape.
• Argued  for see improvements to the policies for providing rural services.
• Sought more emphasis on key policies on agricultural land.
• Argued that policies to encourage tourism need to also take into account the impact on the natural and historic environment.
• Raised concernd about the potential impact of energy and minerals on the countryside.
• Sought long term solutions to providing planned Gypsy and Traveller sites in the right locations.
• Supported improvements to the amenity and environmental value of Green Belt provided it wasn’t on the back of innappropriate developments or lead to some Green Belt being considered less important.

The housing numbers emerging in Phase 2 are likely to lead to losses of Green Belt if they are implemented, and we are strongly resisting those, along with other policies which threaten Green Belt. However, we do think there may be a case for additonal green belt to be designated as part of that review.

In September 2009 the Regional Assembly and Government Office agreed not to take Phase 3 any further but to develop Interim Policy Statements on Gypsies and Travellers and Minerals Policy and Recommendations on other areas of policy to be put in place before the 2010 General Election, becoming Materail Consideration in Planning Inquiries, but also to feed into the Single Regional Strategy in due course.

CPRE supported this pragmatic approach but was concerned about the engagement and consultation in the procress. We have commented on all the developing policy statements. Our comments on the two Interim Policy Statements can be read here.

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