Listen to this article here
|
Stockport’s Local Plan, currently under development, is to be brought to life with a new mapping tool when it is published for consultation later this year.
Stockport Council has received a £90,000 grant from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ (DLUHC) PropTech Engagement Fund to develop the mapping software that will assist the consultation process of the Local Plan, due in early Autumn 2022.
The Local Plan will play a central role in making sure that Stockport has the right sustainable homes, jobs and infrastructure in the right places, and that valuable natural areas and assets in the borough are protected. It will also aim to set out clear rules and guidance on development and give clear indication of what will and won’t be permitted in the borough. The council is required to produce the plan that will be in place for the next 15 years.
The new mapping tool will allow residents to explore the borough through the interactive story maps to inform them on the Local Plan and share feedback on proposals.
Several testing workshops have been arranged with identified members of Stockport’s community to provide feedback and inform the project’s next steps, including residents, frontline workers, community groups, Councillors, and youth council representatives.
A spokesperson for Stockport Council said:
“We hope this new tool will enable the Local Plan to be more accessible to groups and people that are underrepresented in planning decisions and increase the understanding of local planning.
“We want everyone in Stockport to have the opportunity to comment on the draft Local Plan and help us shape it into the best possible plan for Stockport and this tool is designed to help bring that about.”