Report of the Strategic Director (Growth and Development) attached

Due to the large size of the appendices, these are available on the Council’s website (link address below) and paper copy on request.

Weblink address: 

https://democracy.manchester.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=147&MId=4341&Ver=4

The Executive considered a report of the Strategic Director (Growth and Development), which sought approval to endorse the adoption of Places for Everyone Joint Local Plan (PfE) and for Council to formally adopt the PfE - incorporating the Main Modifications, amendments to the Policies Map and Additional Modifications - in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended) (“2012 Regulations”) and the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) (“2004 Act”).

The Executive Member for Housing and Development advised that the Places for Everyone Plan was the strategic spatial plan for the nine constituent Greater Manchester boroughs Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan) and as such sets out a collective strategic planning policy framework covering 2022 to 2039.  As this was a strategic plan it did not cover everything that Manchester’s Local Plan would.  Therefore, Manchester’s emerging Local Plan would set out more detailed policies including both strategic and non-strategic policies, as appropriate, reflecting local circumstances.

With respect to the legal aspects of the plan, the legislative and constitutional requirements for the preparation of a joint Development Plan Document (DPD) set out in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (“2004 Act”) and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 (“2012 Regulations”) had been complied with.

Having considered the consultation responses to the Main Modifications, the Inspectors’ Report was published by the GMCA on behalf of the nine local authorities on 15 February 2024. The Report concluded that subject to inclusion of the Main Modifications, the Plan was sound, complied with all relevant legal requirements and provided an appropriate basis for the planning of the nine boroughs.

The adopted Plan continued to feature specific policies and an allocation that directly relate to Manchester included:-

·            Delivery of a minimum of around 60,000 new homes; and over 2 million square metres of office floorspace in Manchester by 2039;

·            Policies to deliver growth and regeneration across the City;

·            Seeking to achieve a carbon neutral city no later than 2038;

·            Inclusion of the requirement to deliver biodiversity net gain in line with national policy;

·            Policies across a range of other themes including flood risk, water resources, air quality, economic and housing matters, heritage, culture, education and skills, health, and sport and recreation;

·            Specific allocation identified in the plan for Manchester for new jobs at Wythenshawe Hospital.

·            Within the Manchester Local Plan process, approximately 17,000 affordable homes to be delivered in the period that covered PfE.  This was based on the 50,000 affordable homes expected to be delivered across the PfE plan area, as part of the overall delivery of 175,000 homes in GM (except Stockport).  This was a similar percentage to the target set out in the Manchester City Council Housing Strategy.

It was note that the housing and employment figures in the adopted plan reflected the fact that the plan had been extended to a period from 2022 to 2039 meaning an additional year of housing and employment development has been included. This was required to ensure the adopted plan has a 15-year time horizon.

The Executive Member for Housing and Development explained that subject to and following Council’s approval of the Plan, officers would complete the final tasks that needed to be undertaken in order to meet the requirements of the relevant regulations.  Once the Plan had been adopted, it would become part of the statutory development plan for Manchester with immediate effect.  This meant that it would have full weight in the determination of planning applications in Manchester.

Decisions

The Executive:-

(1)     Note the publication of the Inspectors’ Report incorporating the Main Modifications recommended for the Plan set out in Appendix 1 and 2 of the report.

(2)     Note the amendments to the Local Plan Policies Map set out in Appendix 3 of the report.

(3)     Note the Additional Modifications to the Plan set out in Appendix 4 of the report.

(4)     Endorse the recommendations that Council:-

·            Accept the findings of the Inspectors’ Report and approve the Main Modifications to the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan Document proposed by the independent Inspectors, as set out in Appendix 1 and 2 to the report, for incorporation into the final version of the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan Document.

·            Approve the amendments to the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan Document Policies Map, as set out in Appendix 3 to the report, for incorporation of all the changes which relate to Manchester’s administrative area into the Manchester Local Plan Policies Map.

·            Approve the Additional Modifications to the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan Document, as set out in Appendix 4 to the report, for incorporation into the final version of the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan Document.

·            Adopt the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan Document 2022 – 2039 (provided in Appendix 5), with effect from 21 March 2024 – incorporating the Main Modifications and Additional Modifications – as part of the Development Plan for Manchester, in accordance with Section 23 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended)

·            Adopt the Policies Map (Appendix 6) which incorporates the Modifications to it (Appendix 3) and is necessary to give effect to the policies of the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan Document. 

·            Delegate authority to Director of Planning, Building Control and Licensing, to make any minor non material editorial amendments to the Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan Document and Policies Map ahead of its final publication, subject to consultation and agreement with the eight other Places for Everyone authorities noting that these amendments will be limited to correcting minor errors and formatting text.