Greater Manchester Development Plan

Greater Manchester Development Plan
Name	Greater Manchester Development Plan
Other names	GMDP
Region	Greater Manchester
Country	England
Adopted	21st century
Status	Strategic plan

Greater Manchester Development Plan

The Greater Manchester Development Plan is a regional strategic framework for spatial planning, transport, housing, and economic regeneration prepared for Greater Manchester Combined Authority, involving policy coordination across metropolitan boroughs such as Manchester, Salford, Rochdale, Oldham, Tameside, Stockport, Trafford, Wigan, and Bolton. It was developed in the context of devolution settlements including the City Deal (United Kingdom) and the Northern Powerhouse agenda, aligning with national policy instruments like the National Planning Policy Framework and funding mechanisms linked to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Levelling Up Fund.

Background and objectives

The plan traces roots to earlier regional strategies such as the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and builds on statutory instruments influenced by the Localism Act 2011 and precedents like the Manchester City Council local plans, aiming to reconcile competing priorities from stakeholders including Homes England, Transport for Greater Manchester, British Land, and the Manchester Airports Group. Primary objectives include coordinating land use across the River Irwell and the TransPennine corridor, supporting strategic sites such as Salford Quays, MediaCityUK, Airport City, and the Corridor Manchester innovation cluster, while advancing commitments made at events such as the Manchester International Festival and the Commonwealth Games 2002 legacy projects.

Spatial strategy and land use policies

The spatial strategy integrates brownfield regeneration priorities endorsed by English Heritage (now Historic England), protection of greenbelt areas around Rochdale Canal corridors and the Peak District National Park boundary, and allocation of mixed‑use growth zones at nodes including Ancoats, Stretford, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Cheadle. Policies balance retail and leisure proposals tied to centres such as Arndale Centre (Manchester) with industrial land safeguarded for logistics linked to Manchester Airport, the M62, and the Manchester Ship Canal. Design guidance references conservation areas near Castlefield and heritage assets like Manchester Cathedral, and it coordinates with floodplain management measures used for the River Mersey and tributaries subject to modelling by agencies including the Environment Agency.

Transport and infrastructure proposals

Transport proposals prioritize mass transit and active travel schemes championed by Transport for Greater Manchester and partners including Network Rail, Metrolink (Manchester) operators, and regional ambitions for Northern Powerhouse Rail and High Speed 2 connectivity. The plan outlines capacity upgrades at hubs such as Manchester Piccadilly station, interchange improvements at Victoria station (Manchester), and strategic road interventions on the M60 motorway and A580 East Lancashire Road, coordinated with freight corridors serving Manchester Airport and the Port of Liverpool. Cycling and walking networks reference projects delivered with support from organisations like Sustrans, while digital infrastructure and broadband roll‑out tie into schemes backed by Openreach and the National Infrastructure Commission.

Housing, regeneration, and economic development

Housing targets derive from demographic projections aligned with Office for National Statistics datasets and Delivery Agreements negotiated with Homes England and local housing associations such as Great Places Housing Group. The plan designates major regeneration corridors—Piccadilly Basin, Stretford Meadows, and Stockport Town Centre—for mixed tenure development, prioritising affordable housing models trialled by Peabody Trust partners and Build to Rent schemes involving investors like Legal & General. Economic development measures promote clusters in life sciences around Manchester Science Park, creative industries at MediaCityUK, and advanced manufacturing in partnership with institutions such as The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.

Environmental and sustainability measures

Environmental measures commit to carbon reduction pathways consistent with targets set by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and align with national obligations under regulations influenced by the Climate Change Act 2008. Policies include retrofit programmes for low‑carbon heating using technologies promoted by the Energy Saving Trust and pilot hydrogen and heat network projects linked to research at Manchester Metropolitan University, while biodiversity strategies protect sites designated under the Local Nature Reserves framework and Sites of Special Scientific Interest such as areas adjacent to the RSPB reserves. Flood resilience and green infrastructure investment coordinate with the Environment Agency and regional climate adaptation work supported by the Committee on Climate Change.

Governance, funding, and implementation

Governance arrangements assign strategic oversight to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Mayor of Greater Manchester, with delivery partnerships involving metropolitan borough councils, private sector actors including Hammerson and Barton Taylor, and non‑profit organisations such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Funding packages combine public investment through the Local Growth Fund and private finance facilitated by mechanisms used in regeneration deals like the Kings Cross Central development and tax increment financing approaches exemplified elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Implementation timetables are monitored via indicators reported to stakeholders including Homes England, Network Rail, and central government departments led by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Public consultation and responses

Consultation phases engaged representative bodies such as TUC, Federation of Small Businesses, neighbourhood forums, and civic groups including Manchester Civic Society, eliciting responses on issues ranging from greenbelt release to transport prioritisation and affordable housing quotas. Campaigns and objections referenced case studies like the contested redevelopment at NOMA (Manchester) and submissions from trade unions and business groups that cited evidence from Centre for Cities and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Independent examinations and public hearings drew testimony from local MPs, mayors, and stakeholders including Andy Burnham and council leaders from boroughs such as Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council and Salford City Council.

Category:Urban planning in Greater Manchester