Manchester launches local plan consultation
Interested parties have until 28 September to weigh in on the strategic spatial framework before the document is set to government for examination.
Manchester City Council’s draft local plan covers 2022 to 2039 and outlines a series of growth locations, additional local green spaces, and policies around strategic flood risk, housing needs, purpose-built student accommodation, and more.
A target of 30% affordable housing for developments is part of the plan, as is a goal for 70% of those affordable homes to be social housing. PBSA will also be asked to include spaces for lower-income students.
The plan also provides for the city centre boundary to expand to include parts of Hulme, Strangeways, and Ancoats and New Islington. The Aquarius Estate in Hulme will continue to be excluded by the boundary, although it will be surrounded by the city centre on all sides.
Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration, Cllr Gavin White, urged Mancunians to get involved in the local plan.
“It’s important that future development plays its part well in making sure Manchester remains a great place to live, with great homes that our residents can afford in attractive neighbourhoods that they want to live in with quality green spaces nearby,” White said.
“This is the role of the local plan – to help guide development to help us deliver our vision and ambition.”
He added: “The local plan will complement a range of other strategies delivering for our city, in particular our housing strategy that has set an ambitious target to deliver at least 36,000 new homes by 2032 – 10,000 of which will be social, Council and genuinely affordable homes. And the local plan looks to increase the target of social rent and affordable homes each year to deliver the homes our residents need.”
You can access the consultation and leave your feedback by going to manchester.gov.uk/planning-and-regeneration/planning/local-plan/publication-draft.
Companies that have assisted the city council on crafting the local plan include The Environment Partnership, Deloitte, Nexus Planning, Arc4, AECOM, Greater Manchester Ecology Unit, Three Dragons, Currie & Brown, Promarks, and JBA Consulting.
funny that All Saints Park is not a green space but St John’s garden is included
By Andrew wigley
I would add that making Greater Manchester cleaner would be advantageous too.
By Chris
Manchester city centre will need an underground mass transit system before it can accommodate a significantly larger population.
It is damaging to create a 10 year strategy that includes such an ambitious target to deliver new homes, many within the city centre, without articulating the infrastructure of transport and services (medical, education) required to support these new residents.
By Oli Randell
Interesting that MCC refuse to include Ryebank Fields for consideration as a local green space, even though the future of the fields is yet to be decided. In a recent council meeting planning officers would not answer questions from councillors about the lack of democracy and breach of rules around the decision. Two applications are due to be heard next month at the planning committee – one to destroy the space and build expensive homes on it, the other to preserve it as woodlands and meadows. It’s almost like MCC planners have already made the decision to do what they want before the councillors vote and public meeting.
By Anonymous
Another ~225 page plan than nobody that is affected by it has time to read. Good one.
By Anonymous
anonymous at 3.38pm. Probably before you start questioning the professionalism of officers, you should understand how the process works. Easier, of course, to cast vague but pointed aspersions at people doing their job, who know their job and the legislation around it, from behind the safety of a screen where no-one will ever be able to hold you accountable.
By Libelslander
The council has decided to exclude Ryebank Fields as well as 2 other sites from the list of Local Green Spaces in the Draft Local Plan. Because the Regulation 19 process has now begun and ends on the 28th of September representations can be made to the Planning Inspector who will examine the council’s Local Plan and can make changes. This is not the end of the community’s efforts to get Ryebank Fields designated as Local Green Space.
By Tom Butler
Rybank Fields is brownfield, get it developed.
By Anonymous
Replying to ‘anonymous’: Ryebank Fields is officially classified as ‘greenfield’ – get your facts right!
There’s very little greenfield land left in Manchester, we need to preserve it, especially when it’s naturally rewilded over a 30 year period and especially as Manchester has a surplus of brownfield land available for development.
By Julie Ryan