Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration.

At the Council meeting in December 2016 it was agreed that the Council should commence work on a new Stockport Local Plan. This first phase of this work is preparation of a Local Issues Paper.  Approval is sought for the Issues Paper and for a public consultation process from 28th July – 8th October 2017.

Cabinet is asked to approve, subject to comments, the Local Plan Issues Paper. 

Officer contact: Steven Johnson/Darren Pegram, 0161-474-3509/ 3171, steve.johnson@stockport.gov.uk / darren.pegram@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Cabinet to consider the Local Plan ‘Issues Paper’, produced as the first phase of the development of the new Stockport Local Plan, that would inform a public consultation exercise by ‘setting the scene’ for the development of new policies or land use allocations that would feature in the Local Plan.

The Cabinet Member and the Leader of the Council stressed the importance of the Local Plan process in shaping the future of Stockport and so stressed the importance of public engagement with the upcoming consultation.

Other Cabinet Members echoed these points, commending officers for their work in making the document easily readable, and emphasised the need to engage with young people in particular.

RESOLVED – That the Local Plan Issues Paper be approved.

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

The report sets out the Local Plan Issues Paper which describes the broad framework for this phase of work, and sets out the timescales for its approval and public consultation.

The Scrutiny Committee’s comments are sought on the content of the work in progress with regard to the draft Issues Paper document and on the updated consultation plan.

Officers Contacts: Darren Pegram/Steve Johnson on 0161 474 3171/3509 or email: darren.pegram@stockport.gov.uk/steve.johnson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Local Plan Issues Paper which described the broad framework for this phase of work, and set out the timescales for its approval and public consultation.

The Local Plan Issues Paper was a work in progress that had been subject to comment from internal stakeholders and councillors prior to this point. The draft was intended to allow comment on whether the document was framed in the right way and covered all the necessary areas, having partly been framed as a result of a number of internal consultation meetings and a ‘showcase’ briefing for officers from all services. The Issues Paper was written in such a way so as to be accessible to members of the public.

The report would be considered by the Cabinet at its meeting to be held on 18 July 2017.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• A Member enquired whether the strategic allocations for the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework would be included in the Local Plan. The Corporate Director confirmed that final decisions from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework would be awaited before the implications for Stockport’s Local Plan could be assessed.
• A Member considered that the Issues Paper, as currently drafted, had too great a concentration on the town centre and reference should also be made to the district and local centres.
• The effect of the establishment of more housing sites through the Brownfield First work was raised.
• A Member enquired whether feedback from the Local Plan would be fed into the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.
• The work on the Local Plan would debate the proportion of land for businesses and that for residential development.
• The plan should examine the need for more community buildings.
• More details were required on where the additional allotments would be and how many there would be.
• There should be references to internet connections in businesses in the Issues Paper.
• A Member expressed a wish for the environmental side of the Local Plan Issues Paper to be strengthened. An eco systems approach should run through the five themes in the Issues Paper. Green corridors, sustainable urban drainage and river management should be examined. The benefits to the borough could be considerable with a reduced carbon footprint and an improvement to the physical and mental health of people in the borough.
• The Issues Paper needed to minimise the amount of technical language and provide a glossary of technical terms.
• In response to questions, the Scrutiny Committee received details about how the consultation process was to be carried out and advertised. Concern was expressed that not every resident in Stockport had access to the internet.
• A Member expressed concern that the consultation period would be concentrated into two weeks at the beginning of September and the Council’s area committee areas were too large for this purpose, for example he felt that there should be separate consultative events in Hazel Grove and Offerton.
• The approach to the Local Plan addressed one of the perceived problems of the consultation on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework, namely that the outcome was pre-determined.
• A Member queried how many of the goals in the Local Plan the Council would be able to bring to fruition, given the number of issues that were outside its control.
• A Member enquired whether the investment in infrastructure would still take place if the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework did not take place.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing detail on the progression of the Local Plan and seeking members comments on the current iteration of the document.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.