The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)

The RSS was a 20 year plan for the Southwest for 2006-2026.

However the RSS was put on hold before it was ratified by the former Secretary of State and the new coalition government has now revoked these Strategies.

The RSS went through a long gestation period. An independent Examination in Public (EiP) panel considered responses to the original draft and submitted its report to the Secretary of State for Communities early in 2008. The Secretary of State’s response to the amendments to the RSS by the examining panel was published on 22nd July 2008 and was available for consultation until 24th October. This Proposed Changes document suggests an even greater increase in the amount of housing in our area than that originally put forward, with 117,350 new dwellings proposed for Avonside as a whole, including several urban extensions in the green belt around Bath and Bristol. Our response to the Secretary of State which strongly opposed the proposed level of growth was included in the CPRE South West submission.

We  contacted all the local MPs who represent the areas affected. You can read the responses we’ve had here:
Dawn Primarolo’s response to the RSS
Don Foster’s response to the RSS
Doug Naysmith’s response to the RSS
John Penrose’s response to the RSS
Kerry McCarthy’s response to the RSS
Liam Fox’s response to the RSS
Roger Berry’s response to the RSS
Steve Webb’s response to the RSS

For full details of the CPRE South West submission in response to the consultation click here: http://www.cpresouthwest.org.uk

For a link to the Proposed Changes to the RSS consultation document click here: http://www.gosw.gov.uk/gosw/planninghome/691545/713860/

To see our map which shows the number of dwellings proposed in each area click here.

There was a record number of 35,000 responses to the Proposed Changes document.