Harriett Baldwin has today written to Malvern Hills and Wychavon District Councils to confirm Government’s plans to abolish the Regional Spatial Strategy. Harriett has written to the Malvern Hills chief executive Chris Bocock and Wychavon managing director Jack Hegarty, passing on a letter from the Department for Communities and Local Government regarding plans for legislation to finalise the abolition of the RSS. The letter follows a judgement in the High Court this week, which threatened to cast doubt on long-standing plans to change the way house building strategy is delivered. A number of developers have put in speculative applications for outline planning permission across West Worcestershire. Harriett Baldwin commented: “I have worked hard to ensure that top-down housing numbers are not imposed on our county. “I have had a letter from the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles confirming that these plans have not changed and will be enacted in the Localism Bill. “I have passed this message on to the District Councils and I will be keeping in touch to make sure that the people of West Worcestershire will be able to determine their own housing requirements.” Harriett added: “It will now be down to our local councils to decide on the approach they want to take on future housing needs in the district. They will have the freedom and responsibility to respond to the needs of residents.”