The revised North East Regional Spatial Strategy (NERSS) has been unveiled, setting out a proposal to deliver new homes, jobs and infrastructure for the region by 2021.

The NERSS has identified the delivery of 128,900 new homes as being essential for the region. Equating to 7,600 new homes a year this is hoped to cover its forecasted increase in households of 6,647 per annum. The plan supports the goal of the creation of 73,000 new jobs by 2021, as set out in the Regional Economic Strategy. To achieve this goal the NERSS has identified 3,400 hectares of land which will be used for new business.

Jim Darlington, chief planner for One NorthEast, told PIN: “The current challenging economical conditions mean it has never been more important to focus on the long-term vision of the housing and infrastructure that will be needed to support future economic growth. In the short-term, the region clearly isn’t immune to the effects of the global slowdown and the current economic uncertainty. This means it is even more important for the region to focus on its priorities and to continue developing innovative methods of delivery and partnership to drive future growth.”