Memorandum from Advantage West Midlands (WM4-19)

Advantage West Midlands is the Regional Development Agency for the West Midlands and one of its key roles is to produce and monitor the West Midlands Economic Strategy on behalf of the region.

Whilst Advantage West Midlands has no direct role in producing the West Midlands Regional Strategy it has worked closely with its partners at the West Midlands Regional Assembly and the Local Authority Leaders Board to ensure that the West Midlands Economic Strategy and the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy are aligned.

The West Midlands Economic Strategy and the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy will together form the Strategy for the West Midlands (Single Integrated Regional Strategy) on 1 April 2010 and be the joint responsibility of the West Midlands Leaders Board and Advantage West Midlands. Formal guidance for the production of the Single Integrated Regional Strategy is awaited from Central Government so the approach for the next generation Single Integrated Strategy is currently not finalised. We will look to establish a common approach with the Local Authorities Leaders Board through the Joint Strategy and Investment Board.

In addition to the engagement with the planning system at a regional level in the form of the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy, Advantage West Midlands does engage with local planning authorities on their development plans and planning applications in its role as a "statutory consultee" as laid out in regulation 25 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004.

Advantage West Midlands welcomes this engagement on significant regional and sub-regional development projects especially those in the regions Impact Invest Locations as it further ensures alignment with the West Midlands Economic Strategy and helps to ensure the promotion of sustainable economic growth.

The Agency does not however hold any planning or housing powers currently so it would be premature to comment on the specific questions contained in the call for evidence at this time.