The Greater Manchester authorities consider that this arrangement offers the most potential for efficient and effective working on detailed waste planning matters.
The JWDPD will include detailed development management policies and identify sites/preferred areas for a range of waste management facilities required up until 2020. The Plan will form an integral part of each authority's Local Development Framework.
A planning team located within the Greater Manchester Geological Unit (GMGU) is responsible for all aspects of Plan production and consultation, with assistance from the Greater Manchester authorities as necessary.
Development of the Greater Manchester Joint Waste Development Plan Document (JWDPD) commenced in September 2006. Initial consultation work was undertaken during Autumn 2006 through a series of stakeholder events. Due to the depth and breadth of issues identified through these events, it was decided that a two stage approach should be adopted for the preparation of Issues and Options for the JWDPD.
Issues and Options Consultation
The Issues and Options consultation was carried out in several parts: the first in autumn 2007 focused on the strategic aspects of developing a Waste Plan including consultation on aims and objectives, the second in 2008 focused on built waste treatment facilities and the third in spring 2009 focused on residual waste disposal facilities, such as landfill.
During these earlier stages of public consultation additional sites were brought forward by the waste industry and landowners. The process for assessing any site being considered as part of the Waste Plan includes a desk based assessment, site visit and a sustainability appraisal and finally public consultation. These additional sites were subject to this site assessment process and public consultation during summer 2009.
Outcomes reports on each Issues and Options consultation are available on the GMGU web site (external link). The reports summarise comments received and the outcomes from the Sustainability Appraisal and make proposals for how the issues identified during consultation will be dealt with at the next stage, the Preferred Option.
Preferred Option
Consultation on the Preferred Option Report finished on Friday 8th January 2010. The Preferred Option Report set out the preferred policy direction to guide waste management and also the preferred sites/areas for the waste facilities. The feedback received on the Preferred Option consultation has been used to inform the production of the proposed plan at the next stage.
Waste Plan: Publication
Consultation on the Publication stage of the Waste Plan concluded on Monday 13th December 2010. The published Waste Plan includes the final policies and site allocations to guide waste development in Greater Manchester until 2027. This has been developed using feedback received at earlier stages of consultation, national and local policies and technical evidence gathered throughout the earlier Plan preparation stages.
The intention of issuing this Publication version was to allow for representations to be made in connection with issues of soundness (i.e. whether the Waste Plan is justified, whether it is effective and whether it is consistent with national policy) and legal compliance only. Representations received form part of the submission to the Secretary of State along side the published Waste Plan.
Waste Plan: Submission and Examination
The Waste Plan was submitted to the Secretary of State on 28th February 2011. Other relevant documents were submitted alongside the Waste Plan including the following documents:
- The Sustainability Appraisal Report
- Habitats Regulations Assessment
- Equalities Impact Assessment
- Statement of Consultation
- Summary of Representations received at Publication
- Schedule of Proposed Minor Changes to the published DPD
- Amendments to the adopted Proposals maps in Greater Manchester
- Various evidence base documents
Consultation on Proposed Minor Changes
Consultation on the proposed minor changes to the Waste Plan ran for a six week period from Friday 22nd July to Friday 2nd September 2011. As a result of the comments recieved the Inspector decided that a further hearing session was required and this took place on Thursday 22nd September 2011.
Inspectors Report
On Friday 4 November 2011 the Greater Manchester authorities received the Binding Report from the Planning Inspectorate (.PDF, 372KB). The Inspector, Mr Andrew Mead, has found the Waste Plan to be sound. The Inspector considers that it satisfies the requirements of Section 20(5) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and the associated Regulations, and meets the tests of soundness set out in Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Spatial Planning.
The Binding Report will be available to view at Wigan Town Hall and public libraries across the borough during their normal opening hours.
The Waste Plan will be formally adopted by Wigan Council on 11th January 2012. It is also being adopted by each of the other Greater Manchester authorities and this will be completed by the end of March 2012. The Waste Plan will then come in to force from 1 April 2012.
Once adopted, the Waste Plan will form part of the statutory Development Plan for Wigan Borough and will be used alongside district-specific planning documents for the purpose of determining planning applications.
Who to contact
To find out more about the JWDPD please visit the Joint Waste Development Plan Document Website, or alternatively contact:
Minerals and Waste Planning Unit
Tenth Floor, Emerson House
Albert Street, Eccles
Manchester, M30 0TE
Telephone: 0161 779 6182
Email: planningteam@gmwastedpd.co.uk
