Planning and Development Act 2024
|
Consultation about proposed new or revised regional spatial and economic strategy | ||
|
31. (1) Before making or revising a regional spatial and economic strategy in accordance with section 32 , a regional assembly shall— | ||
(a) make such arrangements as may be necessary for the making or revision of a new regional spatial and economic strategy, | ||
(b) consult— | ||
(i) the local authorities within the region (or part thereof, as the case may be), | ||
(ii) the Minister, | ||
(iii) the Office of the Planning Regulator, | ||
(iv) the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, | ||
(v) the National Transport Authority, | ||
(vi) such of the following persons as the regional assembly considers appropriate— | ||
(I) other Ministers of Government, | ||
(II) other regional assemblies, | ||
(III) other public bodies, | ||
and | ||
(vii) such other persons as may be prescribed, | ||
and | ||
(c) publish a notice of its intention to make or revise a regional spatial and economic strategy on a website maintained by or on behalf of the regional assembly and in at least one newspaper circulating in the region. | ||
(2) A notice under paragraph (c) of subsection (1) shall— | ||
(a) state that the regional assembly intends to make or revise a regional spatial and economic strategy, | ||
(b) indicate the matters to be considered in a regional spatial and economic strategy, having regard to the requirements of section 29 , and | ||
(c) indicate that observations regarding the making or revision of a regional spatial and economic strategy may be made in writing to the regional assembly within a period specified in the notice (which shall not be less than 8 weeks after the date of the notice). | ||
(3) (a) The regional assembly shall send a copy of the notice published under paragraph (c) of subsection (1) to— | ||
(i) any person to be consulted under paragraph (b) of subsection (1), and | ||
(ii) the Commission. | ||
(b) A copy of a notice sent under paragraph (a) to a local authority within the region (or part thereof, as the case may be) may be accompanied by a request by the regional assembly for assistance in the making or revision of a new regional spatial and economic strategy. | ||
(4) Subject to subsection (5), a local authority which receives a notice and request under subsection (3) shall assist and cooperate with a regional assembly in making the arrangements referred to in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) and shall in particular agree upon— | ||
(a) a procedure for preparing and making a regional spatial and economic strategy, or a revision to an existing strategy, in accordance with section 32 , | ||
(b) the establishment of committees to oversee and consider the preparation of the regional spatial and economic strategy or revision, | ||
(c) the membership of the committees referred to in paragraph (b), and | ||
(d) the roles of those committees in— | ||
(i) preparing the draft regional spatial and economic strategy or draft revision, | ||
(ii) considering observations received under this section and section 32 , and | ||
(iii) drawing up such reports as may be necessary. | ||
(5) If agreement is not reached between a regional assembly and a local authority under subsection (4) within 4 weeks of the sending of a notice and request under subsection (3) or such longer period not exceeding 8 weeks as the regional assembly considers reasonable, the regional assembly shall notify the Minister and the Minister may direct the local authority to cooperate with the regional assembly on such terms as are specified in the direction. | ||
(6) A local authority shall comply with a direction made by the Minister under subsection (5). | ||
(7) The provision of assistance under subsection (4) shall include the provision of— | ||
(a) reasonable financial assistance, | ||
(b) services of staff, | ||
(c) accommodation, and | ||
(d) such other assistance as may be reasonably required. | ||
(8) The provision of assistance under subsection (4) shall be based on the proportion of the population of the region to which a regional spatial and economic strategy relates who are resident in the functional areas of the local authorities concerned. | ||
(9) A reasonable request for assistance made by a regional assembly by virtue of paragraph (b) of subsection (3) shall not be refused by a local authority, and any dispute as to the reasonableness of such request shall be referred to the Minister for adjudication having regard to subsection (7). | ||
(10) Any Minister of the Government or other public body consulted under subsection (1) shall— | ||
(a) insofar as is practicable, assist and cooperate with the regional assembly in the preparation of a regional spatial and economic strategy or a revision to an existing regional spatial and economic strategy, and | ||
(b) take such steps as are reasonable and appropriate to support the implementation of the regional spatial and economic strategy. | ||
(11) On receipt of a notice published under paragraph (c) of subsection (1), the National Transport Authority shall, within the period specified in that notice in accordance with paragraph (c) of subsection (2), submit to the regional assembly a report on any matters which, in its opinion, should be considered by the regional assembly in making or revising the regional spatial and economic strategy and such a report shall set out— | ||
(a) the matters which, in the opinion of the National Transport Authority, should be considered by the regional assembly in the preparation of the draft regional spatial and economic strategy or draft revision to an existing strategy, | ||
(b) recommendations on the matters that require to be included in the draft regional spatial and economic strategy or draft revision to an existing strategy to ensure the effective integration of transport and land-use planning, and | ||
(c) any recommendations on the matters that require to be included in the draft regional spatial and economic strategy having regard to a relevant transport strategy of the National Transport Authority, | ||
and the Authority shall furnish a copy of the report submitted to the regional assembly under this subsection to the Minister, the Minister for Transport and the Office of the Planning Regulator. | ||
(12) In making or revising a regional spatial and economic strategy, a regional assembly shall coordinate the development of the regional spatial and economic strategy, or the revision of it, in a manner that is, to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the policies of any public bodies consulted under this section. |