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  • North West of England Plan - Regional Spatial Strategy to 2021
    • Preparing 'The North West of England Plan'
    • Key Spatial Principles
    • Regional Spatial Framework
    • Working in the North West - Achieving a Sustainable Economy
    • Living in the North West - Ensuring a Strong, Healthy and Just Society
    • Transport in the North West - Connecting people and places
    • Planning for the Environment, Minerals, Waste and Energy
  • Implementation of the Regional Spatial Strategy
    • RSS Implementation Framework - Context
    • RSS Implementation Framework - Key Principles
    • RSS Implementation Framework - Vision, Strategic Actions and Key Agencies
    • RSS Implementation Framework - Key Area Summaries and Implementation Guidance Notes
  • Sustainability Appraisal of the North West of England Plan - Regional Spatial Strategy to 2021
  • Monitoring and Review of the Regional Spatial Strategy
  • Coastal
    • Coastal Communities research
  • Partial Review of Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) 2008-2010 [NOT PROGRESSED TO COMPLETION]
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Regional Spatial Framework

The former Regional Spatial Strategy set out a framework for development across the region over 15 to 20 years, establishing:

• spatial priorities for growth and development, investment and regeneration
• the approach to supporting rural areas
• the approach to supporting the development of the region's coast
• the regional approach to Green Belts

The focus of the spatial framework was on the core areas of the Manchester and Liverpool City Regions, but it is also balanced, spreading development across a large number of towns / cities.  It allowed for development in accessible suburban / urban centres, especially where these were within areas with deprivation and regeneration issues.  

There are a number of documents and pieces of research which provide key information and evidence relating to these issues:

Relevant documents:

• Regional Rural Delivery Framework (April 2006)

Research:

• Key Service Centres - Some Further Analysis (March 2009)
• Key Service Centres - Role and Function Study (September 2006)
• The Role and Function of Settlements in the North West (June 2005) 
• RSS for the North West - Learning the lessons from elsewhere
• Merseyside Green Belt Study (December 2004)

Cross-boundary and sub-regional policies

The North West is made up of a number of sub-regions and the Regional Spatial Strategy set out a more detailed policy framework for each of those areas.  The policies were informed by advice provided by sub-regional partners (Manchester City Region, Liverpool City Region, Central Lancashire City Region, Cumbria, Lake District).

There are also links between the North West and surrounding regions.  4NW undertook research to better understand these linkages, and inform future policy approaches.  This included work with a range of partners to explore the links between West Cheshire and North East Wales, which resulted in the development of a sub-regional spatial strategy.

West Cheshire - North East Wales Sub-regional Study (October 2004)

West Cheshire - North West Wales Sub-regional Spatial Strategy (2005)

We also undertook work to look at the linkages between South Cheshire, North Staffordshire and North Shropshire.

South Cheshire Sub-regional Study - Executive Summary (December 2008)

South Cheshire Sub-regional Study - Final Report (December 2008)

South Cheshire Sub-regional Study - Baseline Report (December 2008)