Agenda item

A report seeking approval of the draft Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document and supporting documents for a six-week public consultation, commencing not earlier than 1^st November 2024.

Purpose of the Report:

The purpose of the report was to seek approval of the draft Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (as detailed at Appendix 1 of the report) and supporting documents (as detailed at Appendices 2, 3 and 4 of the report) for a six-week public consultation commencing not earlier than 1 November 2024. This will enable stakeholders to have the opportunity to provide comments on the Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations SPD before it is formally adopted.

Reasons for the Recommendations:

The Places for Everyone Plan (PfE Plan) was a joint development plan document of nine Greater Manchester authorities which was adopted on 21st March 2024. The PfE Plan sets out a clear spatial strategy for delivering new homes and businesses along with infrastructure to support development and to protect and enhance our towns, cities and landscapes. It covers a timeframe up to 2039.

PfE Policy JP-C8 - Transport Requirements of New Development, seeks to ensure new development does not have an adverse impact on the protected habitats and species of Holcroft Moss, which is within the Manchester Mosses Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Where appropriate, housing and/or employment developments make a financial contribution to the provision of mitigation.

The need for, and amount of financial contribution to be secured, will be identified at the planning application stage. As set out in Policy JP-C8 of the PfE Plan, where planning applications are required to be accompanied by a Transport Assessment, they will need to consider air quality impacts on Holcroft Moss, within the Manchester Mosses Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Any proposals that would result in increased traffic flows on the M62 past Holcroft Moss of more than 100 vehicles per day or 20 Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) per day must devise a scheme-specific range of measures to reduce reliance on cars, reduce trip generation, promote ultra-low emission vehicles, and provide a contribution towards restoration measures at Holcroft Moss.

Working with Natural England and Warrington Metropolitan Borough Council (WMBC), the nine PfE authorities have established the scope and estimated cost of the mitigation works. The cost of the mitigation works - including design and feasibility, land, capital costs, professional fees, monitoring, contingency and ongoing maintenance – has been estimated at approximately £880,000 (see statement of estimated project costs and required contributions, which is available alongside this SPD). Contributions will be sought on commencement of development to ensure the mitigation measures can be provided in a timely manner to offset the impacts. Individual legal agreements will specify timeframes for financial contribution(s) to be spent.

The exact scale of contributions for an individual site will depend upon the particular development proposed, and its impact upon Holcroft Moss, the proposed level of contributions is set out in the statement of estimated project costs and required contributions, which is available alongside the SPD. The nine PfE authorities and WMBC have agreed that the cost of the mitigation works will be apportioned between the two plans. The apportionment will be based on the potential impact on Holcroft Moss identified in the respective Plan’s HRA. On this basis the PfE authorities will be responsible for 53% of the total costs and WMBC will be responsible for 47% of the total costs.

Options/Alternatives Considered:

Option 1 – To: a). approve the draft Holcroft Moss Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), and supporting documents, for a six-week public consultation commencing no earlier than 1st November 2024; b). agree the provision to WMBC (as the responsible authority for implementing a mitigation strategy for Holcroft Moss) as necessary and through an appropriate mechanism, with S106 funds collected in accordance with the Holcroft Moss SPD; and c). delegate approval to the Assistant Director Planning, Transport and Housing Delivery to make minor, non-material modifications to the draft Holcroft Moss SPD, and supporting documents, before consultation commences, subject to consultation and agreement with the eight other Places for Everyone authorities. This will enable stakeholders to have the opportunity to provide comments on the draft Holcroft Moss SPD before it is formally adopted. There were no foreseeable disadvantages to this option.

Option 2 - To not approve the draft Holcroft Moss SPD for consultation. This would prevent stakeholders commenting on the SPD. This would result in future adoption of the document being contrary to planning regulations and would significantly limit the ability of the PfE authorities to collect S106 monies, necessary to mitigate harm to Holcroft Moss.

Option 1 was the preferred Option.

Decision:

Cabinet resolved:

1.    To approve the draft Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (as detailed at Appendix 1 of the report) and supporting documents (as detailed at Appendices 2, 3 and 4 of the report), as the basis for a six-week public consultation commencing no earlier than 1st November 2024.

2.    To agree the provision to Warrington Metropolitan Borough Council (as the responsible authority for implementing a mitigation strategy for Holcroft Moss) as necessary and through an appropriate mechanism, with S106 funds collected in accordance with the Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations SPD.

3.    To delegate approval to the Assistant Director Planning, Transport and Housing Delivery to make minor, non-material modifications to the draft Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations SPD and supporting documents before consultation commences, subject to consultation and agreement with the eight other Places for Everyone authorities.

Purpose of the Report:

The Cabinet considered a rpeort of the Director of  Economy that was seeking approval of the draft Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (as detailed at Appendix 1 of the report) and supporting documents (as detailed at Appendices 2, 3 and 4 of the report) for a six-week public consultation commencing not earlier than 1 November 2024. This will enable stakeholders to have the opportunity to provide comments on the Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations SPD before it is formally adopted.

The report’s recommendations were presented as the Places for Everyone Plan (PfE Plan) was a joint development plan document of nine Greater Manchester authorities which was adopted on 21st March 2024. The PfE Plan sets out a clear spatial strategy for delivering new homes and businesses along with infrastructure to support development and to protect and enhance our towns, cities and landscapes. It covers a timeframe up to 2039.

PfE Policy JP-C8 - Transport Requirements of New Development, seeks to ensure new development does not have an adverse impact on the protected habitats and species of Holcroft Moss, which is within the Manchester Mosses Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Where appropriate, housing and/or employment developments make a financial contribution to the provision of mitigation.

The need for, and amount of financial contribution to be secured, will be identified at the planning application stage. As set out in Policy JP-C8 of the PfE Plan, where planning applications are required to be accompanied by a Transport Assessment, they will need to consider air quality impacts on Holcroft Moss, within the Manchester Mosses Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Any proposals that would result in increased traffic flows on the M62 past Holcroft Moss of more than 100 vehicles per day or 20 Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) per day must devise a scheme-specific range of measures to reduce reliance on cars, reduce trip generation, promote ultra-low emission vehicles, and provide a contribution towards restoration measures at Holcroft Moss.

Working with Natural England and Warrington Metropolitan Borough Council (WMBC), the nine PfE authorities have established the scope and estimated cost of the mitigation works. The cost of the mitigation works - including design and feasibility, land, capital costs, professional fees, monitoring, contingency and ongoing maintenance – has been estimated at approximately £880,000 (see statement of estimated project costs and required contributions, which is available alongside this SPD). Contributions will be sought on commencement of development to ensure the mitigation measures can be provided in a timely manner to offset the impacts. Individual legal agreements will specify timeframes for financial contribution(s) to be spent.

The exact scale of contributions for an individual site will depend upon the particular development proposed, and its impact upon Holcroft Moss, the proposed level of contributions is set out in the statement of estimated project costs and required contributions, which is available alongside the SPD. The nine PfE authorities and WMBC have agreed that the cost of the mitigation works will be apportioned between the two plans. The apportionment will be based on the potential impact on Holcroft Moss identified in the respective Plan’s HRA. On this basis the PfE authorities will be responsible for 53% of the total costs and WMBC will be responsible for 47% of the total costs.

Options/Alternatives Considered:

Option 1 – To: a). approve the draft Holcroft Moss Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), and supporting documents, for a six-week public consultation commencing no earlier than 1st November 2024; b). agree the provision to WMBC (as the responsible authority for implementing a mitigation strategy for Holcroft Moss) as necessary and through an appropriate mechanism, with S106 funds collected in accordance with the Holcroft Moss SPD; and c). delegate approval to the Assistant Director Planning, Transport and Housing Delivery to make minor, non-material modifications to the draft Holcroft Moss SPD, and supporting documents, before consultation commences, subject to consultation and agreement with the eight other Places for Everyone authorities. This will enable stakeholders to have the opportunity to provide comments on the draft Holcroft Moss SPD before it is formally adopted. There were no foreseeable disadvantages to this option.

Option 2 - To not approve the draft Holcroft Moss SPD for consultation. This would prevent stakeholders commenting on the SPD. This would result in future adoption of the document being contrary to planning regulations and would significantly limit the ability of the PfE authorities to collect S106 monies, necessary to mitigate harm to Holcroft Moss.

Option 1 was the preferred Option.

Resolved:

1.    That Cabinet approves the draft Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (as detailed at Appendix 1 of the report) and supporting documents (as detailed at Appendices 2, 3 and 4 of the report), as the basis for a six-week public consultation commencing no earlier than 1st November 2024.

2.    That Cabinet agrees the provision to Warrington Metropolitan Borough Council (as the responsible authority for implementing a mitigation strategy for Holcroft Moss) as necessary and through an appropriate mechanism, with S106 funds collected in accordance with the Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations SPD.

3.    That Cabinet agrees to delegate approval to the Assistant Director Planning, Transport and Housing Delivery to make minor, non-material modifications to the draft Holcroft Moss Planning Obligations SPD and supporting documents before consultation commences, subject to consultation and agreement with the eight other Places for Everyone authorities.