Stockport Council publishes Local Plan

Stockport Council has published its final version of a new Local Plan for the borough, which sets out where new homes and commercial development should be built.

The new version of the Local Plan has been revised from the draft published in October 2025 following a public consultation in November and December. Changes in the latest iteration of the Local Plan include a small number of sites previously allocated for housing being removed from the plan, as well as some new additions. There has also been a reduction in floorspace allocated to commercial development at the Bredbury Gateway site in the East of the borough.

The government requires every council to plan for the area’s development needs, including for homes and jobs. Having an up-to-date Local Plan in place means these decisions are made locally and in a coordinated way, rather than through ad-hoc applications or planning appeals. Stockport has been without a Local Plan since the council voted to withdraw from the city-region-wide Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (now known as Places for Everyone), which set out a single development for the entirety of Greater Manchester.

The Local Plan, if adopted, will cover a 15 year period from 2027 to 2042, during which time Stockport will need to deliver more than 32,000 new homes. The plan details that approximately 8,000 homes will be built within the town centre, a further 7,500 on small sites and in district centres throughout the borough, with a further 8,700 coming from the release of Green Belt sites. While housing allocation results in an 8,000-home shortfall of the borough’s housing targets, Stockport Council argues additional release of Green Belt sites would impact on “on other issues that would collectively threaten the soundness of the plan” such as damage to the natural environment, and the effective functioning of transport infrastructure.

Details of the sites which are allocated for housing development are set out in the published draft Local Plan, available via the Stockport Council website.

The council will submit the published plan to Housing Secretary December 2026, where it will be assessed by a Planning Inspector before being allowed to be adopted by the council in 2027.

Final representations on the Local Plan, focused on matters of legal compliance and soundness, are being accepted from 23rd September and 8th November 2026.

Stockport Council will also be holding 3 drop-in events where interested parties can find out more about the Local Plan.

• Saturday 3rd October, 2026 between 10:00am and 4:00pm at Merseyway, Stockport, SK1 1PD.
• Tuesday 6th October, 2026 between 10:00am and 4:00pm at Adlington Walk, Stockport, SK1 1PR.
• Wednesday 7th October, 2026 between 5:00pm and 8:00pm at Stopford House Reception, Piccadilly, Stockport, SK1 3XE.