Greater Manchester’s waste plans approved

Greater Manchester’s plans for minimising and managing future waste can be formally adopted following approval from the Planning Inspectorate.

The Joint Waste Development Plan Document, which has been jointly prepared by the ten Greater Manchester authorities, has been found to be ‘sound in terms of content and process.'

The document identifies locations for future waste management facilities and a suite of waste planning policies. It allocates seven sites and identifies a further 26 areas within Greater Manchester as being suitable for future waste development.

By working collaboratively to produce a joint plan, the ten councils have estimated that they have saved over £8 million in its production.

Councillor Derek Antrobus, Chair of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) Planning and Housing Commission and of the Joint Waste Planning Committee said:

“We believe we have put forward a plan that assumes we minimise the amount of waste produced, maximise recycling and deal with what cannot be recycled in the most sustainable way.

“The encouragement we give to new technologies should ensure waste disposal is cleaner, greener and safer. It will also encourage new ‘green collar’ jobs.”

The document has been consulted on throughout its development and directed by councillors from each of the ten districts.

It was formally submitted to the Government in February this year and then subjected to independent examination with hearing sessions taking place between June and September.

 
The Waste Plan will now need to be formally adopted by each Greater Manchester authority – via their full council processes – before coming into effect from 1 April 2012.

Following formal adoption, the plan will be used alongside district-specific planning documents for determining planning applications.

More information on the Plan Document and a copy of the Planning Inspectorate report are available at www.gmwastepd.co.uk