The Regional Spatial Strategy, or RSS is a new kind of plan for the South West for up to the year 2026. 

The Assembly approved the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy at its meeting on 10 March 2006, and submitted it to Government on 24 April 2006.

The Draft RSS was open for public consultation during Summer 2006. Consultation responses were submitted to the independent Examination in Public (EiP) Panel.

The Panel invited organisations and individuals to be participants in the Examination in Public to discuss and test the Draft RSS. The EiP ran from 17 April to 6 July 2007.  The independent Panel's report was published on 10 January 2008. This was submitted to the Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, published the Proposed Changes to South West’s long term plan on 22 July 2008, which marked the start of a 12 week consultation, which Government Office for the South West ran until 24 October 2008.

The Secretary of State’s Proposed Changes to the Draft RSS take account of the Examination in Public Panel's recommendations along with representations made about the Draft RSS and other relevant evidence.

In September 2009, the Government Office for the South West announced that further Sustainability Appraisal work needs to be carried-out on the Proposed Changes.  The outcome of which is expected in early 2010.  This work has delayed the final publication of the RSS. For more information click here.