A NORTH-EAST MP brought the shortcomings of a planning blueprint, which threatens thousands of jobs, to the attention of Tony Blair yesterday.

Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods used Prime Minister's Questions to highlight the flaws with the revised Regional Spatial Strategy, which she said were "potentially very damaging" to the North-East's economic development.

The Prime Minister in turn promised to "look very carefully" at the issues raised by the MP for Durham City.

The intervention came on the day The Northern Echo joined forces with the North-East Chamber of Commerce to launch the Shaping the Future campaign, calling on the Government to reinstate a number of flagship proposals to the document, which will determine development in the region for the next 15 years.

The strategy was drawn up by the North East Assembly, but has been revised by inspectors and the Government, to water down the region's ambitious job creation proposals and threaten to halt in their tracks key projects such as the NetPark development at Sedgefield and plans for a deep sea vessel facilities at Teesport.

The Prime Minister was asked if he shared Dr Blackman-Woods' concerns, and those of other County Durham MPs: "that the current Regional Spatial Strategy for the North East is potentially very damaging indeed to economic development in County Durham" and asked Mr Blair if he would: "join with us in trying to rectify the current shortcomings in the document".

Dr Blackman-Woods has previously criticised the strategy, in particular over the plans to limit NetPark to just 13 hectares rather than the 49 hectares originally envisaged. The revised strategy also rules out plans backed by Durham County Council for a 460-acre freight terminal at Tursdale, near Bowburn, acting as an interchange between the East Coast Mainline and A1(M).

Crucially, the revised strategy would also place a straitjacket on house-building in County Durham, restricting development to an average just 1,120 homes a year until 2021 across the county and just 190 a year in Durham City, a restriction which Dr Blackman-Woods says would hit affordable homes in particular.

Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman has secured an adjournment debate on the Regional Spatial Strategy in the House of Commons this evening.

Government consultation on the revised Regional Spatial Strategy ends on August 6.

* To register your support for The Northern Echo's campaign to persuade the Government not to stifle the region's ambitions, visit the campaign website at www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/campaigns/shapingthefuture/