Development Plan Moves to Next Stage

On Wednesday 29 September, the public inquiry into objections to Rochdale Council's Replacement Unitary Development Plan (UDP) will be officially closed.

The Government inspector will formally close the inquiry at 10.00am in the Reception Room at Rochdale Town Hall. Members of the public, including those who objected or who made supporting representations, may attend.

The Inspector will now consider all the objections and the responses to them before submitting his report and recommendations to the Council around the end of the year.

Following the closure of the Inquiry, no further representations on the Council's responses to objections may be made.

The Council received 1,429 representations in relation to the Replacement Unitary Development Plan, made up of 1,065 objections and 364 supporting representations. Changes made to the plan between the two periods of consultation on the Replacement Unitary Development Plan and negotiation with objectors has resulted in the unconditional withdrawal of 159 objections.

The Council has now responded to all 906 of the outstanding objections. A number of objections, including those concerning proposed allocations at Middleton West Business Park, Cowm Top and Trub Farm, Castleton were heard by the Inspector at inquiry sessions held in Rochdale Town Hall.

The Council expects to publish modifications in the spring and to adopt the plan by summer next year. The Plan will complement the Community Strategy and the Borough Masterplan.