Stockport Council delays Local Plan consultation ahead of updates to national planning rules

Stockport Council has delayed a proposed consultation on its Local Plan, the document that sets out how land in the borough can be developed for the next 15 years.

In a statement published on the Council’s website on December 16th, Stockport Council shared that it would await the contents of a national consultation to be launched by government this month on a new National Planning Policy Framework.

The Local Plan consultation had been due to take place this autumn, but was delayed due to anticipated policy changes at Westminster following the leadership bids to succeed Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. Earlier this month, the council’s Liberal Democrat group had shared that the consultation would take place in January 2023. However, since that statement, Housing and Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, gave a statement to Parliament outlining upcoming changes to planning laws and the responsibilities of local authorities in meeting local housing needs.

In their statement on the Local Plan, Stockport Council said:

“Every council has to produce a local plan to set out the vision for future development in their area. It will be used to help decide on planning applications and other planning related decisions for the next 15 years. The plan is a guide to what can be built where, known as a land use plan.

“The council has taken the decision to defer the planned consultation on our Local Plan following the publication of the Ministerial Statement issued on the 6th December which proposes amongst other things significant changes to the way in which we need to consider housing targets for local areas and in particular the protection of Green Belt.

“The Government have indicated that they intend to consult on a new National Planning Policy Framework prospectus before Christmas and as such it is important that we wait to see what these changes could mean for our emerging Local Plan.

“The decision to defer is not one that has been taken lightly and legal advice has been taken to inform this decision.

“We will review the position and update on a revised timetable as soon as we are able to do so. We remain committed to having the right Local Plan for Stockport and do not want to put unnecessary burdens on our communities at this time by consulting on a plan that might not now fit Government guidance.”