The first East Midlands Regional Plan (officially known as the Regional Spatial Strategy for the East Midlands', or RSS8) was published on 17 March 2005.
It contained a long term development strategy for the region to 2021, covering the scale and distribution of new housing, priorities for the environment, transport, infrastructure, economic development, agriculture, minerals extraction, waste treatment and disposal.
The East Midlands Regional Assembly, as the Regional Planning Body, reviewed the Regional Plan in 2006 and the Secretary of State approved a new Regional Plan in March 2009 (see RSS 2009 page).
Meanwhile, the Assembly commenced a further Partial Review on key transportation, climate change, and other related issues on 17th October 2008 and this is due to be completed (under the new single integrated Regional Strategy procedures) by Autumn 2011 (see RSS Partial Review 2008-2011 page).