The three development plan documents are:
We are preparing the Greater Manchester Joint Waste Development Plan Document with the other nine district councils in Greater Manchester.
The process that we follow to prepare a development plan document is:
- Evidence gathering and establishing the baseline and scope for the sustainability appraisal.
- Consulting statutory bodies on the scope of the Sustainability Appraisal.
- Consultation with the community and with stakeholders during preparation of the plan. The consultation should be proprotionate to the scale of issues involved in the plan.
- Publication of the Development Plan Document.
- Submission of the Development Plan Document to the Government.
- Independent examination in public of the Development Plan Document.
- Receipt of binding Inspector’s report.
- Adoption and monitoring of plan.
At the Examination in public the independent inspector has to consider whether the plan has complied with legislation and whether it is ‘sound’.
To comply with legislation he has to check in particular that it:
- has been prepared in accordance with the Local Development Scheme and in compliance with the Statement of Community Involvement and the Regulations;
- has been subject to sustainability appraisal;
- has regard to national policy;
- conforms generally to the Regional Spatial Strategy; and
- has regard to the sustainable community strategy.
To be 'sound' the plan must be justified, effective and consistent with National Policy.
'Justified' means that the document must be:
- Founded on a robust and credible evidence base
- The most appropriate strategy when considered against the reasonable alternatives.
'Effective' means that the document must be:
- Deliverable
- Flexible
- Able to be monitored
