West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has asked a Minister for guidance on the ongoing plans to replace the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy. The question follows the unveiling of a local plan for the creation of new housing and employment land produced by Worcester City Council, Malvern Hills District Council and Wychavon District Council. The MP asked for clarification on the legal position as the Localism Bill is still going through Parliament and therefore the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy is still on the statute books. Communities and Local Government Minister Greg Clark wrote to Harriett today (June 28) confirming that the plans to abolish the RSS were a matter of public record and all planning authorities have been given this guidance. He said: “The Chief Planner wrote to all local planning authorities on 11 November 2010 on the Government's intention to abolish regional strategies through the Localism Bill. “More broadly, local planning authorities should continue to develop local plans that reflect local people's aspirations and decisions on important issues such as climate change, housing and economic development, having regard to national policy. “Upon commencement, the Localism Bill will remove any requirement for local plans to be in conformity with regional strategies.” Harriett commented: “Our local councils have to tread a fine line as the legislation changes. On the one hand they must protect themselves against lawsuits from developers and on the other hand local people want to know that the dreaded Regional Spatial Strategy, with its huge enforced housing targets, has been scrapped. “It’s easy for local people to find the transition confusing. As the local plan is taken out to consultation it is important that the councils make sure local voices are heard. “I expect that the formal abolition of the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy will happen when the Localism Bill is passed later this year. However the spirit of the new Bill is clear: planning and housing needs must be decided by local people, not by Whitehall.”