ABSTRACT
The new Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) emanated from a Department of Environment Transport and the Regions Consultation Paper 'The Future of RPG' and draft Planning Policy Guidance note. The dimensions of policy influence are partly encompassed in the concept of 'New Regionalism', as argued by John Tomaney and N. Ward. M. R. Martins suggests that effective regional planning needs a sponsoring organisation, with an appraisal and approval network, an intelligence network, and an influence network. The constraints on RPG content need to be relaxed, allowing a widening of scope and flexibility of content, to include more fully issues such as health, culture, and sport and recreation. Regional planning is operating on a shoestring, and a great deal of good will from various levels of government and relevant agencies. Regional planning and regional governance has a much higher profile than only a few years ago. Interesting new agencies and RPG procedures are emerging; there is also evidence of growing regional innovation.
