Proposal to update the Rochdale Local Plan 2024

Overview

Under Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning)(England) Regulations 2012, notice is hereby given that Rochdale Council is proposing to update its Local Plan which will form part of the Development Plan for Rochdale.

What is a Local Plan?

The updated Local Plan will replace the current Local Plan (Rochdale Adopted Core Strategy) which was adopted in 2016. It will set out a range of planning policies that will seek to sustainably manage development and will designate land for specific uses over the next 15 years. The Local Plan will sit alongside and complement the adopted Greater Manchester Minerals and Waste plans and the Places for Everyone Plan.     

Relationship to the Places for Everyone Plan

Places for Everyone (PfE) is the strategic spatial plan for Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan, and as such sets out a collective planning policy framework which:

• Provides the strategic framework for the Rochdale Local Plan;
• Sets out specific requirements to be taken forward through the Rochdale Local Plan in relation to housing, offices, and industry and warehousing, and identifies the main areas where this will be focused;
• Identifies the important environmental assets which will be protected and enhanced;
• Allocates strategic sites for employment and housing;
• Supports the delivery of key infrastructure, such as transport and utilities; and
• Defines a new Green Belt boundary for the borough.

The PfE Plan was adopted on 21 March 2024 and forms part of the Development Plan for Rochdale. Some of the evidence that underpins the PfE Plan will also inform the Rochdale Local Plan. However, it may be necessary in some instances to either update this or produce further evidence to support the policies in the Local Plan. Rochdale’s updated Local Plan will set out more detailed policies, including both strategic and non-strategic policies, as appropriate, reflecting local circumstances.

Integrated Assessment Scoping Report

The proposed policies, sites and designations set out in the Local Plan; and their alternatives, will require assessment for potential social, economic and environmental effects. The Integrated Assessment (IA) Scoping Report identifies the type, nature and extent of potential effects which need to be considered and proposes the scope for future assessment stages of an IA of the Local Plan. The IA Scoping Report has been published for comments as part of this initial consultation. This can be found attached below.

Call for Sites

The Rochdale Local Plan will make site specific allocations / designations for development and green spaces, similar to those in the Rochdale Unitary Development Plan. Therefore, it is proposed to publish an open invitation for an initial submission of sites in Rochdale for a number of uses, including development, protection, biodiversity net gain or for some other defined purpose.

If you have a site which you would like to be considered as part of this process, please let us know by completing the Call for Sites submission form attached below. All forms must be accompanied by a plan clearly showing the location and boundary of the site (edged in red) in order to be considered.

How to make comments

At this initial stage, to assist with preparation, the Council is seeking comments on the subject and scope of the Rochdale Local Plan. This could include what you think are the key issues and priorities for the borough and how we can address these through policies and designations.

The Council is also seeking views on the Integrated Assessment Scoping Report. 

The consultation and call for sites runs from the 28 June to 9 August 2024. All comments and call for sites submissions must be received by 11:59pm on 9 August.

Comments and call for sites submissions can be made:

• by e-mail to ldf.consultation@rochdale.gov.uk  
• by post to Strategic Planning, Floor 3, Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale, OL16 1XU

Please note all comments will be available for public inspection and will not be treated as confidential. Rochdale Council maintains a database of consultees who wish to be kept informed about the Local Plan. If you do not want to receive any further correspondence on the Local Plan process please do not hesitate to contact us.

Should you require any further information at this stage, please contact us.