The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has today shared a new consultation paper on ‘Areas for producing spatial development strategies’, forming part of a series of working papers on different aspects of planning reform.

The paper seeks views on a series of proposed geographies over which spatial development strategies (SDS) should be produced. At GC Insight our team regularly support locations on economic commissions including employment and land reviews, and we have been reading today's new paper with interest. In this article, we review the key announcements including the geographies proposed as part of the paper.

What are Spatial Development Strategies?

Spatial Development Strategies (SDS)  are being introduced to support cross-boundary planning. The Planning and Infrastructure Act, which received Royal Assent in December 2025, contains provisions that place a duty on combined authorities, combined county authorities, upper-tier councils and unitary authorities to prepare a SDS for their area.

SDSs are high-level spatial plans looking ahead at least 20 years. They will set the framework for local plans, which will have to be in general conformity with the relevant SDS. SDSs will ensure that sub-regional areas can effectively plan to:

• to meet their housing needs;
• co-ordinate the provision of strategic infrastructure;
• grow their economies; and
• improve the environment and climate resilience

They will set a spatial framework for their area, identifying the appropriate scale of growth and development, and they may also identify the need for regeneration, protection or improvement of the built or natural environment. SDSs will also identify broad locations for growth and development and the necessary infrastructure needed to support that growth.

What geographies have been proposed as part of the paper?

MHCLG has identified a funding package up to 2028-29 to support the production of every SDS. Full funding allocations will not be awarded until the geographies are confirmed. 

The proposed geographies include:

• Group 1: geographies based on existing devolution footprints including Greater London, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire;
• Group 2: geographies based on Devolution Priority Programme footprints including Cumbria, Norfolk and Suffolk as well as Greater Essex;
• Group 3: geographies not based on existing devolution footprints including Hertfordshire, as well as Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes combined; and
• Group 4: remaining areas where proposals for appropriate SDS geographies are awaited including West and North Northamptonshire as well as Plymouth City Council

The full set of geographies are summarised in a table at Annex A, and shown on a map at Annex B.

What happens next?

Strategic planning authorities will not be able to commence work formally on an SDS until the legislation is commenced, which is currently expected to be summer 2026.  However, authorities can undertake preparatory work in anticipation of the duty.

The consultation on the paper has launched today and will last until 26 March 2026. You can read the consultation paper and respond here.

At GC Insight, we can help locations wishing to understand what makes sensible functional economic areas (FEAs) for planning purposes. We are involved in a number of Employment Land Reviews (Tendring and Thurrock) which are identifying the potential scale of economic growth and requirements for employment land. Do get in touch with our team if you would like to discuss or if you have any questions.  

Published: 12 February 2026