New development plan documents under preparation

Stockport Local Plan

The Stockport Local Plan will replace the Stockport Core Strategy (March 2011) and the remaining ‘saved’ policies of the Stockport Unitary Development Plan Review (May 2006).

The Stockport Local Plan will provide the overall spatial vision and framework for the future sustainable development of the borough. It will address needs and opportunities in relation to housing, the economy, community facilities and infrastructure as well as providing a basis for safeguarding the environment, adapting to climate change and securing good design. The Stockport Local Plan will, via the Policies Map mentioned below, set out broad locations and specific allocations of land for different purposes; through designations showing areas where particular opportunities or considerations apply (such as protected habitats). The Local Plan will set out criteria-based policies which will form the primary consideration in the determination of planning applications.

Policies Map

The emerging Local Plan will have an accompanying Policies Map. The Policies Map itself has the same status as a Development Plan Document (DPD) showing the land allocations and designations from other DPDs in map form. It will replace the current Proposals Map which was adopted with the UDP Review 2006 and amended by the Greater Manchester Joint Minerals and Joint Waste plans. In preparing and adopting any new DPDs the council will have regard to whether amendments or additions to the Policies Map are required.

Neighbourhood plans

The Localism Act 2011 introduced new rights and powers to enable communities to get directly involved in planning for their areas. Neighbourhood planning allows communities to come together through a parish council or formal neighbourhood forum and produce a neighbourhood plan. Neighbourhoods can decide what they want to cover in their neighbourhood plan. They may allocate land for development or influence the type and design of development that comes forward.

Neighbourhood plans must, however, be in general conformity with the strategic planning policies already adopted by the council. They should not promote less development than set out in the Local Plan and or undermine its strategic policies. They are subject to an independent examination and need to be approved by a majority vote in a local referendum.

Once plans are adopted they will become part of the Development Plan and be used in the determination of planning applications. To date, we've formally designated 4 neighbourhood areas, where plans are being led by neighbourhood forums. The neighbourhood areas are:

Of these neighbourhood areas, Woodford, High Lane and Marple now have adopted Neighbourhood Plans.

Sustainability Appraisal, Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment

In order to fully comply with relevant regulations, ensure efficient working and to provide a robust and transparent evidence base, the council adopts an integrated approach towards Sustainability Appraisal (SA) and the requirements for all development plan documents to be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA).

The SA, SEA and HRA will be embedded into the production of all local development documents as part of the initiation and evidence-gathering stage and will then be updated at other appropriate milestone stages.

As part of the processes for the above, we'll:

  • prepare an SA (including an SEA) to appraise the social, environmental and economic effects of plan strategies and policies, from the outset of the preparation process
  • prepare an Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) in line with relevant legislation
  • prepare an HRA in line with relevant legislation
  • include the draft SA/SEA, HRA and EqIA documents within the public consultation on each DPD and SPD where required

In liaison with key stakeholders and partners, we're reviewing this framework to take account of experience to date in undertaking sustainability appraisal, as well as to better integrate aspects of the non-statutory Health Impact Assessment and other appropriate forms of assessment, such as rural proofing and age proofing, which we seek to carry-out on all policy and strategy documents.

Schedule of proposed local development documents

Stockport Local Plan

  • Type: Development Plan Document (DPD)
  • Geographical area: Borough of Stockport
  • Conformity: National Planning Policy Framework
  • Consultation (regulation 18):
    • Issues Paper: July to October 2017 (completed)
    • Draft Local Plan: May to June 2025
    • Further consultation seeking input on specific elements of the draft plan prior to the publication stage
  • Publication (regulation 19): June to July 2026
  • Submission: November 2026
  • Examination in public: Spring 2027
  • Adoption: Winter 2027/2028

Policies Map

  • Type: Development Plan Document (DPD)
  • Geographical area: Borough of Stockport
  • Conformity: National Planning Policy Framework
  • The Policies Map DPD will be developed in line with the timescales for all other DPDs. It will be amended and re-published as necessary upon adoption of each DPD