Greater Manchester Combined Authority has announced that its Places for Everyone programme is moving onto the next phase.
This development comes after government appointed inspectors confirmed that the programme can move on, with suggestions outlining that the nine authorities involved should consult on a range of recommendations that will clarify the wording of policies. This would, however, leave the vision, objectives, and spatial strategy for the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan unchanged.
The nine areas involved in the plan are:
- Bolton
- Bury
- Manchester
- Oldham
- Rochdale
- Salford
- Tameside
- Trafford
- Wigan
Planning Inspectors appointed by the Secretary of State for Levelling U, Housing and Communities took part in public hearing sessions between November 2022 and July 2023, with these providing the outcome after hearing from individuals and organisations that have engaged in previous consultations for the project. Before the next stage begins, the Cabinets or Executives of the councils involved will need to approve the modifications made.
Mayor of Salford City Council and GMCA Portfolio leader for Places for Everyone, Paul Dennett, said:
“I am pleased that after a vigorous process of public examination, the Planning Inspectors have supported the overall ambitions in the city-regional spatial plan of the 9 Local Authorities: Places for Everyone. I would like to thank the inspectors, and everyone involved in this process and many consultations that have happened since Greater Manchester embarked on this ambitious and strategically important work back in August 2014.
“It has been a long road to get us here, but the prize at the end of more homes, more jobs and sustainable growth rejuvenating our green spaces, reshaping our town centres, and integrating new developments with our transport infrastructure to unlock new opportunities and tackle inequalities looks ever closer.
“Moreover, having a city-regional spatial plan has always been about providing clarity about future development within our city region to ensure that we genuinely work towards meeting housing need, avoiding to the best of our ability costly planning by appeal, ensuring we meet the government’s requirements on land-supply for housing need, whilst also utilising this clarity on future development sites as a framework to assist in tackling the housing and homelessness crisis through new housing supply, acknowledging that every resident and family in Greater Manchester should have a place to call home.
“Ultimately, having a city-regional spatial plan of the nine local authorities will be a critical tool in supporting Greater Manchester’s case for further devolution from central government, whilst also providing us with a strategic blueprint, along with the district’s Local Plans to further advocate for the residents, families and communities of Greater Manchester with national government, the investment and development communities and within a global economy.
“We now move into the next phase of the council approvals and a public consultation on the plan, and I hope that by next year we can move towards adoption of the plan and turn our vision into a reality.”
Image credit: iStock
