Study feeds regional plan

Associate director Michael Hepburn said the study identifies potential problems arising from differences in local development framework interpretation and opportunities to accommodate further growth.

He told Planning: "It is our job to uncover inconsistencies in the region where local authorities have perhaps given themselves too high a status in the RSS. There is a hierarchy in the region, but we wanted to see if the various towns and cities picked up on it."

Assembly acting head of service for planning, conformity and delivery Andy Haigh said: "We have outlined a network of settlements in the region and we wanted to see if there is conformity between them."

The results will now go out to consultation, with the assembly submitting its update to government next July. The examination in public is expected around February 2010, with the secretary of state's proposed changes due later that year.