ABSTRACT
The malleability and politicisation of the term ‘sustainable development’ which was highlighted in Chapter 3 emerged as particular issues when it came to pursuing economic goals through the RPG process. On many occasions, RDAs and various business groups sought to ground their views with the twin legitimating devices of appealing to the ‘competitiveness’ agenda while simultaneously situating this concern within the language of sustainable development. In the North West, for example, the North West Development Agency complained at the public examination of draft RPG that ‘the RPG gives too little emphasis to the vital competitiveness and economic dimensions of sustainable development’ (verbal evidence). Development pressure groups likewise tended to emphasise the importance of development: ‘We don’t have a problem with sustainable development inasmuch as it’s got the word development in it’ (interview SE7).
