Issue - meetings

Report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods seeking approval, from the Council of the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan for publication and consultation.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive, the purpose of which was to approve the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan for publication and consultation.

The report advised that following its adoption in March 2024 the Places for Everyone Joint Plan (PfE) now formed part of Oldham’s Local Plan. PfE set the strategic policies for the Borough, but there is still a need for local policies that support the implementation of PfE across Oldham and to deliver the Council’s regeneration objectives and priorities.

The Government are in the process of reforming the current system for preparing Local Plans. In the meantime, for plans progressing to adoption under the current plan-making legal framework (which includes the review of the Oldham Local Plan) there was a requirement for these to be submitted for examination by 31^st December 2026.

The Oldham Local Plan was therefore being prepared under The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulation 2012 (‘the Regulations’). There were various stages in the production of a Local Plan and Oldham Council was at Regulation 19 (or the Publication Plan) stage.

Thie submitted report sought approval of the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan for publication and consultation, pursuant to Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 for a six-week period for representations to begin no earlier than 28 January 2026. The ‘Publication Plan’ stage was a formal ‘statutory’ consultation that provided an opportunity for organisations, and individuals, to submit their final views on the content of the Plan.

Following consultation the Publication Plan, representations received, and other relevant supporting documentation, would be sent to the Secretary of State. This was called the ‘Submission stage’, pursuant to Regulation 22 and requires approval at Council. A separate report seeking approval to submit the Publication Plan for examination will be brought to Council, around May/June 2026.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1 (preferred Option): that the Cabinet approves the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan, Policies Map and supporting documentation for publication and consultation as per the recommendations in the report. The advantages are that this will ensure that the Council has in place an up-to-date Local Plan in place that supports implementation of PfE at a Borough-wide level and provides a planning policy framework to enable delivery of the Council’s regeneration ambitions and Building a Better Oldham, whilst meeting requirements of national planning policy and regulations. There were no reported disadvantages to pursuing Option 1.

Option 2: that the Cabinet does not approve the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan, Policies Map and supporting documentation for publication and consultation as per the recommendations in the report. There were no reported advantages to pursuing this Option. The disadvantages, in not approving the Plan, were that the Council would not be able to progress preparation of the Local Plan to the next stage. Without 12 an up-to-date Local Plan in place the Council would be reliant on the existing Core Strategy (elements of which are  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7

Report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive seeking approval, from the Council of the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan for publication and consultation. Report to be circulated.

The Scrutiny Board was consulted on a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive which was ultimately seeking Cabinet approval for the publication of and public consultation on the Oldham Local Plan.

Following its adoption in March 2024 the Places for Everyone Joint Plan (PfE) now formed part of Oldham’s Local Plan. PfE set the strategic policies for the Borough, but there is still a need for local policies that support the implementation of PfE across Oldham and delivered the Council’s regeneration objectives and priorities.

The Government were in the process of reforming the existing system for preparing Local Plans. In the meantime, for plans progressing to adoption under the current plan-making legal framework (which includes the review of the Oldham Local Plan) there was a requirement for these to be submitted for examination by 31^st December 2026.

The Oldham Local Plan was therefore being prepared under The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulation 2012 (‘the Regulations’). There were various stages in the production of a Local Plan and Oldham Council was now at the Regulation 19 (or Publication Plan) stage.

The submitted report was seeking approval of Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan for publication and consultation, pursuant to Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 for a six-week period for representations to begin no earlier than 28^th January 2026.

The ‘Publication Plan’ stage is a formal ‘statutory’ consultation that provides an opportunity for organisations, and individuals, to submit their final views on the content of the Plan. Following consultation the Publication Plan, representations received, and other relevant supporting documentation, will be sent to the Secretary of State. This was called the ‘Submission stage’, pursuant to Regulation 22 and requires approval at Council. A separate report seeking approval to submit the Publication Plan for examination will be brought to Council, prior to submission May/June 2026.

The Scrutiny Board was advised that the report would be presented to the Cabinet at its meeting on 19^th January for approval.

Members of the Scrutiny Board were supportive of the report and recommended that it be approved by the Cabinet

Resolved:

That the Place, Economic Growth and Environment Scrutiny Board recommend that the Cabinet, at its meeting on 19^th January 2026:

a.    approve the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan, Policies Map and supporting documentation for publication and consultation, pursuant to Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 for a six-week period for representations to begin no earlier than 28 January 2026.

b.    Delegate authority to the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods in consultation with the Executive Director – Deputy Chief Executive (Place) to approve the Statement of Common Ground required pursuant to the National Planning Policy Framework.

c.     Delegate authority to the Assistant Director Planning, Transport and Housing Delivery to make any minor non-material amendments to the Oldham Local Plan: Publication Plan, Policies Map and supporting documentation ahead of its publication and consultation.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7