The implementation schedules set out a series of activities that are necessary to deliver the outcomes of the Yorkshire and Humber Plan. However, some areas need more focussed attention. These "priority actions" have been derived from a number of sources and are set out below.

The conclusions of AMR 2007 highlighted that there were particular areas of concern and noted five key priorities where further implementation action was recommended to improve delivery. In addition, part of the Regional Planning Body’s role is to help align the outcomes in the Plan with those emerging at a local authority level, largely through Local Development Frameworks and major proposals. This role has revealed that there are some additional areas of concern that the AMR has not picked up on, either because they are new areas of work that have not yet been monitored or are not associated with specific indicators.

Together with input from the Region’s planning, housing, sustainable development and transport Boards the implementation priorities for 2008/09 were agreed as:

• Providing Affordable Housing
• Maintaining the delivery of housing
• Providing a network of appropriate waste management facilities
• Increasing Renewable Energy capacity and promoting greater use of local renewable energy
• Reducing travel demand and modal shift to more sustainable modes
• Ensuring that the focus for development is in line with the RSS settlement network
• Employment Land provision
• Using accessibility criteria to guide allocation of sites, transport services and infrastructure
• Ensuring that the regional cities, sub-regional cities and principal towns have the capacity to accommodate large scale retail developments

Clicking on each activity will take you to further information about current activities and further guidance.

Other Implementation Activities

One of the regional challenges identified in the Integrated Regional Framework is climate change. While this is not identified as a specific priority area for the implementation plan it is seen as a cross-cutting priority that work on various activities will address, including accessibility, waste management, modal shift, the focus of development, renewable energy and the location of retail.

Some of the activity above will be linked directly to evidence preparation for the Plan’s Update which is focussing on testing the Region’s ability to deliver higher housing numbers and advising on the tools that may be necessary to achieve this. Some activities are not included in the above list as they are established and/or not highlighted as particular concerns in the AMR. However, they are still important work streams and include:

• The Provision of Sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople which is currently being led by the Assembly’s Housing and Community Team. Current activities include the preparation in association with Planning Aid of a Guide to the Planning System. Future activities include a Member’s training event and benchmarking of local Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessments through the RSS Update. Consideration will also be given to what role the Assembly can play in helping Local Authorities prepare allocations documents for Gypsy and Travellers sites.
• Avoiding development in high flood risk areas. The Assembly has recently commissioned a Regional Flood Risk Assessment which will not only feed into the work of the Review but also enable the sharing of flood risk evidence with local authorities to assist them in their own assessments.
• Protecting important habitats and landscapes. The Plan’s approach to biodiversity was innovative and requires further information in support of it to assist in the most effective delivery. This work is currently awaiting the publication of a Regional Biodiversity Strategy in early 2009 which will provide more clarity for the activity. Work on Green Infrastructure for the Plan’s Update will also feed into the delivery of this important implementation activity.