Chapter 1 Introduction to the Plan

Introduction

1.1 The Unitary Development Plan (or UDP for short) is a land-use planning document which the Council is required by law to prepare and keep under review.

1.2 Its main role is to guide the future use and development of land and buildings. It sets out a framework of policies to:

Control the location and quality of new development;
Encourage and stimulate new development, where appropriate;
Protect and improve the environment; and
Safeguard the Borough's most important natural and built assets.

1.3 As such it is the main document against which planning applications are judged, through reference to the relevant policies of the plan and any other material considerations. THIS PLAN MUST, THEREFORE, BE READ AS A WHOLE AND ALL RELEVANT POLICIES SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. The Council is obliged to make planning decisions in accordance with the plan unless other material considerations indicate otherwise. However, it also has an important role in integrating land use and transport planning, co-ordinating public and private investment and providing a policy framework to support bids for funding.

The Review Process

1.4 The first Unitary Development Plan for Rochdale Borough was adopted in March 1999, at which time it superseded all previous local development plans, and looked ahead to 2001. Maintaining an up to date and relevant development plan is important if the planning system is to be dynamic and effective, and its policies are to be able to respond to changing circumstances. The Plan was therefore reviewed leading to the adoption in June 2006 of this replacement Unitary Development Plan that looks ahead to 2016.

1.5 The replacement Plan acknowledges that a significant number of the policies in the previous UDP (adopted in 1999) are still relevant and are working well, but that other policies and proposals have been already been implemented, or have been over taken by events. The Plan also takes account of National planning policy guidance which has continued to evolve, especially in terms of sustainability, urban regeneration and transport, and Draft Regional Guidance for the North West which set out a regional framework to guide UDPs and other strategic plans across the region. Also, Rochdale Borough's own problems, opportunities and priorities have been changing and the replacement Plan has sought to reflect these.

1.6 Changes to the development plan system introduced by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 mean that the plan’s policies will need to be incorporated into, or replaced by, the Local Development Framework (LDF) over the next few years.

1.7 The Local Development Framework will comprise Local Development Documents, to replace parts of the UDP over time in accordance with the Council’s published programme – the Local Development Scheme (LDS). The LDS will outline the content and timetable for the production of LDF documents to be prepared over the next 3-4 years. The LDS is available on the Council’s website at www.rochdale.gov.uk

Consultation and Participation Carried Out

1.8 To fulfil its purpose, the UDP must reflect the needs of the local community and consider the views of businesses, landowners and development interests. To inform the plan preparation, and in line with Government advice, the Council carried out pre-deposit consultations based around key issues. An Issues Paper was published by the Council in January 2000, summarising those factors influencing the review, the issues to be tackled and the policy approaches that need to be considered for tackling those issues. The Council took account of the comments made in response to the 'Issues' consultation together with other representations and views received in preparing the First Draft of the Plan.

1.9 The First Draft of the Replacement UDP was placed 'on deposit' for formal public consultation from 17 June to 29 July 2002. (The Council published with the First Draft, a statement of 'pre-deposit' consultation and public participation together with a Sustainability Appraisal of the Plan.) The Plan attracted 1162 formal representations, comprising 849 objections and 313 expressions of support for policies and proposals within the Plan. The Council took account of the representations and made changes that were incorporated in a second draft version of the Plan.

1.10 The Revised Deposit Draft (or second Draft) was placed on deposit for formal public consultation from 28 April to 9 June 2003. The Council received 1,429 formal representations, made up of 1,065 objections and 364 supporting representations.

1.11 The objections were considered by an independent Government inspector at a Public Local Inquiry, held between 16 March 2004 and 29 September 2004. At the close of the Inquiry there were 905 outstanding objections that had been considered by the Inspector. The Inspector’s report was received in June 2005 and, following the necessary statutory procedures for considering and making modifications to the plan to comply with the Inspector’s recommendations, the plan was adopted in June 2006

Form and Content of the Plan

1.12 It is a legal requirement that the UDP is split into two parts.

1.13 Part One, which follows this introductory chapter, is a Written Statement of the Plan's Strategy. This includes the background to the Strategy, and the Plan's Aim, Key Objectives and general Spatial Policies. Other general and strategic (Part One) policies are contained in the Part Two topic chapters. This is so the strategic and general policy approaches can be seen against the more detailed policies and proposals. They are clearly distinguished from the Part Two Policies.

1.14 Part Two contains policies grouped by topic chapters. The Council's Part Two detailed policies contain detailed proposals for the use and development of land, and in particular those which will form the basis for deciding planning applications. A reasoned justification or other supporting text follows each policy. (Throughout Part Two, the policies are distinguished by use of bold typeface, and have a unique policy title and number.) Part Two is completed by the Proposals Map (a map of the whole Borough) which shows the areas of land to which the policies and proposals relate. Other maps are included in the Written Statement but these are illustrative only and do not have the same status as the Proposals Map

1.15 In the reasoned justification to some policies, reference is made to existing or proposed Supplementary Planning Guidance Notes. Under the new planning system these are called Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs), and are intended to provide detailed guidance for developers and others to supplement the Plan's policies. They are not part of the UDP, but do form part of the Local Development Framework, and where they have been prepared and approved by the Council following consultation they will be an important material consideration in making decisions on planning applications.

Further Information

1.16 Further information about the UDP and its current status, and its replacement the Local Development Framework, can be obtained from the address on the back cover or from the Council's web site www.rochdale.gov.uk.