Pickles confirms first regional strategy to be axed next month

The regional strategy for the East of England will be revoked next month, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has announced.

In a written ministerial statement, Pickles said all directions preserving policies contained in structure plans in the area to which the East of England regional strategy related would also be revoked.

The minister said abolition of the regional strategy for the East of England – the first since the Government announced plans to axe such strategies – was “a major milestone for localism”.

He added: “This Government has been clear from the outset that planning works best when the people it affects are placed at the heart of the system. The abolition of regional planning across this region will give local councils and local people right across the former East of England government region more control of shaping the places in which they live. It reinforces our policy to enshrine the local plan, produced with the involvement of local people, as the keystone of the planning system.”

Pickles argued that the regional strategy imposed development upon communities.

“Such a top-down process just built resentment,” he said. “Its removal means the issues that matter to local communities in the region can take centre stage. Only local people understand the unique priorities, aspirations and heritage of an area.”

The Communities Secretary continued: “Local empowerment brings development by consensus; development that is more sensitive to local characteristics, including to habitats and the environment, and development that is good for growth.

“Matched with the duty to cooperate, a statutory requirement upon local councils to work together to plan for cross-boundary development, we believe that a locally-led planning system can better deliver the homes, jobs and infrastructure the country needs.”

Pickles said the decision to revoke the regional strategy for the East of England followed a strategic environmental assessment and comprehensive consultation on the environmental impacts of abolition.

The order will take effect on 3 January.

Writing on Mills & Reeve's Plan-it Law blog, Beverley Firth said: "I do not think we have even yet seen formal environmental reports for all of the regional stratagies - so it looks like we will be in for a period of certainly many months when the position is a shifting one as to which authorities are subject to regional strategy and which are not. Whether and how that impacts on the duty to co-operate remains to be seen."