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Strategy > Annex B: Regional policy
framework
Annex B: Regional policy framework
Regional Planning Guidance
Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) for the North West provides
a broad regional spatial strategy. It provides a framework for the
scale and distribution of housing, transport infrastructure, economic
development, as well as policies for the environment, the coast
and the countryside.
RPG sets out a Spatial Development Framework to act as a guide
for the distribution of development. Its aim is to achieve urban
renaissance in the North West:
- The North West Metropolitan Area (NWMA) is to be the focus for
new development, with priority being given to the city centres
of Liverpool and Manchester and to the inner city areas surrounding
them. Priority is also given to development and complementary
regeneration of the centres and inner areas of Birkenhead, St
Helens, Southport, Ashton-under-Lyne, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale,
Stockport and Wigan.
- Elsewhere in the NWMA, there should be development and improvements
to the towns of Runcorn, Widnes, Ellesmere Port and Skelmersdale,
while in Warrington the focus will be on regeneration and restricting
further outward expansion.
- To the north of the NWMA, development will be concentrated in
Blackpool, Blackburn, Burnley, Lancaster / Morecambe, Preston,
Barrow-in-Furness and Carlisle. To the south, it will be concentrated
in Chester, Crewe, Macclesfield and Northwich. There will also
be a need to restructure the Regeneration Priority Areas of Lancashire's
coastal towns, East Lancashire and West Cumbria and Furness.
- Most other development will be met within smaller towns and
larger villages, where it will be of an appropriate scale to accommodate
the needs of local communities.
The approach on housing is to emphasise better quality in both
the housing stock and the residential environment. Key aims include
maximising the use of brownfield land for new housing, to achieve
lower levels of vacant dwellings and to regenerate areas suffering
from low demand and market failure.
RPG emphasises maintaining urban form and enhancing urban living.
Green Belts will be used to restrict development flowing out of
the region's towns and cities.
Regional Economic Strategy
The Regional Economic Strategy (RES) provides the framework
for the sustainable economic development of the North West. The
RES recognises the inter-relation between economic growth, environmental
protection/enhancement and social inclusion and identifies five
strategic priorities:
- Business development - exploiting the growth potential of business
sectors, improving the competitiveness and productivity of businesses
and developing and exploiting the region's knowledge base
- Regeneration - delivering urban and rural renaissance and securing
economic inclusion
- Skills and Employment - developing and maintaining a healthy
labour market
- Infrastructure - developing the strategic transport, communications
and economic infrastructure and ensuring the availability of a
balanced portfolio of employment sites
- Image - developing and marketing the region's image
The RES acknowledges that the quality of housing stock in the region
is a major concern and identifies specific action to strengthen
the economy of areas with the greatest concentration of unsatisfactory
and unpopular housing. The strategy also aims to improve the quality
of the built environment and to develop and implement co-ordinated
approaches to the reclamation of derelict and underused land. The
RES includes a target for 70% of new housing to be built on previously
developed land by 2008.
Action for Sustainability
Action for Sustainability is the North West's Regional Sustainable
Development Framework. It provides a high level set of principles
for achieving more sustainable development. It provides the framework
for the Sustainability Appraisal of both Regional Planning Guidance
and the Regional Economic Strategy, and this Regional Housing Strategy
will similarly be subject to a Sustainability Appraisal.
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