Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 July 2014.

The Minutes (copies of which have been circulated) of the meeting held on 22 July 2014 were approved as a correct record. 

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration reported that since the last meeting of the Working Party a briefing for all Councillors on the Community Infrastructure Levy had taken place on 15 October 2014 and that a report would be submitted to the Executive Meeting on 16 December 2014.

In addition, a draft final report on the Employment Land Review had been received.  This contained no radical changes from the previous report.  The draft report was being reviewed by Officers with the final report due in early 2015.

Councillors and Officers to declare any interests which they may have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and Officers were invited to declare any interests which they may have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

Members were informed of the work being undertaken on the Retail Study at the previous meeting of the Working Party in July 2014. This report updates the figures from the draft which was reported at the time.

The Working Party is requested to comment on the report and the potential implications for Stockport.

Officer Contact Zoe Senior on 0161 218 1517 or email:

zoe.senior@stockport.gov.uk

 A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which were circulated) updating the Working Party on the figures from the draft study which was reported at the last meeting.

Retail needs assessments should ideally be updated every five years in order to contribute to an up-to date Local Development Framework evidence base and to assist in the assessment of planning proposals involving retail development.  Most aspects of the Shopping and Leisure Study 2009 by Drivers Jonas had been updated by Hollisvincent in 2014, based on updated survey data.  The main findings indicated the scope for further retail floorspace in the Borough and wider study area, particularly in Stockport Town Centre.  The Study update also set out recommendations in relation to the strategy for meeting the identified retail needs. 

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members questioned whether the figures from 2009 were overly optimistic.

·         Members also questioned how areas that were struggling would be identified.

·         It was noted that current policies did seek to preserve district centres as well as the town centre, however more radical strategies may be required.  This could include reducing the area covered by some district centre designations.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration.

The report updates members on the latest information and some of the important headline figures emerging at the initial consultation stage.

The Working Party is recommended to note the report.

Officer Contact: Steve Johnson on 0161 474 3509 or email:

steve.johnson@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) updating Members on the latest information and some of the important headline figures emerging at the initial consultation stage of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

The Working Party was advised that the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework was a document currently being consulted upon by the ten Greater Manchester Authorities and was designed to provide help to deliver the priorities set out in the Greater Manchester Strategy of 2009.  The consultation commenced on 26 September 2014 and would run for six weeks until 7 November 2014.

The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework was predicated on the idea that the ten local authorities would act as a single economic entity, with a single labour market and interdependent towns and cities, transport, culture, education and public services.  In addition the area would act as a regional capital providing employment for those living far beyond the boundaries of the ten authorities.

The current round of consultation was with those outside the ten Greater Manchester Authorities and was the first stage of a process to identify housing and employment requirements and how the land supply was managed to meet that need.  The Greater Manchester Wider Leadership Team intended that the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework would be adopted by all ten authorities as a joint Development Plan Document (DPD), which would therefore form part of the statutory development plan for local authorities in Greater Manchester.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Concerns were raised as to whether these figures were deliverable in Stockport.

·         Members felt that some smaller communities may be left behind.

·         Co-operation between the ten authorities within Greater Manchester would be crucial, and could prove to be problematic.

·         Members raised the issue of the availability of skilled tradesmen to carry out the work referred to in the report.  It was felt that a contingency plan may be necessary in case of a skilled labour shortage.

·         Members recognised that the figures contained within the report represented a challenge for the whole of Greater Manchester.

·         It was agreed that Officers would liaise with colleagues at AGMA with a view to arranging future meetings of the Working Party in a structured way in order to dovetail with the timetable of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.