A Review of the West of England Economic Development Needs Assessment

This paper is a further contribution to the ongoing consultations relating to the developing Joint Spatial Plan for the West of England. It includes comments on the consultation document ‘Towards the Emerging Spatial Strategy’.

It is responding in particular to the document by ORS on ‘West of England Housing Target: the basis for the Housing Requirement in the Joint Spatial Plan’ dated September 2016, which reviews and updates the analysis of housing requirements previously developed by ORS through the SHMA process.

This latter document includes a discussion, critique and response to various submissions previously made in response to the SHMA and draft plan, which were subject to discussion in spring 2016, including my previous report to Business West and the comments that we developed on that basis in late 2015.