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Oldham Draft Local Plan – Frequently Asked Questions

What is Oldham’s Local Plan?

Oldham’s Local Plan will guide development in the borough up to 2039. The main purposes of the Plan are to:

  • Set out the planning policies that the council will use to determine planning applications once the Plan is adopted;
  • Identify designations for the protection of the borough’s environmental and historical assets, our town centres, employment areas and existing infrastructure;
  • Allocate land to meet our future housing and employments needs; and
  • Support the development of infrastructure, such as transport, education and utilities.

The Local Plan covers the whole borough except that part which falls within the Peak District National Park.

Upon adoption, the Local Plan will replace the Joint Core Strategy and Development Management Policies DPD, which was adopted in November 2011, and any saved planning policies from the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) 2006.

The Local Plan will sit alongside the emerging Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan as one of the key documents that form the development plan for the borough. Other documents in the development plan include the Greater Manchester Joint Waste Development Plan Document (adopted April 2012) and the Greater Manchester Joint Minerals Development Plan Document (adopted April 2013).

Together these documents will inform decision-making on planning applications in the borough of Oldham (excluding within the Peak District National Park).

Why does Oldham need a Local Plan?

Local Plans are a statutory requirement and are the starting point for guiding decisions about individual development proposals, as Local Plans are used in the determination of planning applications.

What is the purpose of the Local Plan consultation?

The purpose of the consultation on the Draft Local Plan is to receive written opinions and comments from a wide range of people and organisations on the proposed vision, plan objectives, planning policies, designations and site allocations.

The comments we receive back will help inform the next stage of the plan – the Publication Stage.

How does the Local Plan relate to Places for Everyone?

The Places for Everyone (PfE) Joint Development Plan Document (DPD), is a strategic plan that will, upon adoption, cover nine of the ten Greater Manchester districts - Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan. PfE:

  • Provides the strategic planning framework sitting above the Oldham Local Plan;
  • Sets out specific requirements to be taken forward through the Oldham Local Plan in relation to housing, offices, and industry and warehousing, and identifies the main areas where this will be focused;
  • Identifies the important environmental assets which will be protected and enhanced;
  • Allocates sites for employment and housing outside of the urban area – in Oldham this is JPA2 Stakehill, JPA12 Beal Valley, JPA13 Bottom Field Farm, JPA14 Broadbent Moss, JPA15 Chew Brook Vale, JPA16 Cowlishaw, JPA17 Land south of Coal Pit Lane’ and JPA18 South of Rosary Road;
  • Supports the delivery of key infrastructure, such as transport and utilities; and
  • Defines a new Green Belt boundary in the borough and across the other eight authorities.

Upon adoption, PfE will form part of the development plan for Oldham. PfE will set the strategic policies and direction for the borough. Oldham’s Local Plan interprets these at a more detailed local level to reflect our priorities and support delivery of the council’s regeneration ambitions and Creating a Better Place.

Information on PfE and the examination can be found on the PfE website.

How does the Oldham Local Plan relate to Neighbourhood Plans?

Communities can prepare Neighbourhood Plans for a designated neighbourhood area.

Once these are prepared and adopted, Neighbourhood Plans become part of the statutory development plan and are used to determine planning applications (alongside the Oldham Local Plan and PfE) for the designated neighbourhood area. The Neighbourhood Plan can have its own vision, objectives, strategy, policies and designations / allocations.

In the borough of Oldham currently Saddleworth Parish Council are preparing Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan for the parish council area and The New Chadderton Partnership neighbourhood forum are preparing a Neighbourhood Plan for the three wards of Chadderton.

It will be important that these plans are positively prepared and are broadly consistent with PfE and the Oldham Local Plan.

For further information on Neighbourhood Planning please visit our Neighbourhood Planning webpage.

What is the Integrated Assessment?

The Integrated Assessment (IA) is an assessment of the impacts of the Local Plan on environmental, economic and social objectives and forms one of the supporting documents to the Local Plan review.

In recognition that there will be linkages across the various assessments undertaken on the Local Plan, the Sustainability Appraisal, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Equalities Impact Assessment, Health Impact Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment all form part of the 'Integrated Assessment'.

The IA identifies any necessary mitigation and / or enhancements required to the Draft Local Plan as the plan is prepared.

Where can I view the Draft Local Plan documents?

The Draft Local Plan consultation documents are available to view on our website at https://www.oldham.gov.uk/localplanreview and our new consultation portal at The Big Oldham Convo.

If you would rather see paper copies, we have the main Draft Local Plan documents available within our libraries and at Access Oldham (please check opening times). Please note that paper copies are limited to the key statutory documents.

However, Oldham Council library staff and strategic planning staff will be happy to help direct you to these topic and background papers if you wish to see them.

Will there be any consultation arranged face-to-face?

Drop-in sessions are also being arranged which will provide a further opportunity for you to find out more about the Draft Oldham Local Plan. Please visit for the council’s website for up-to-date information regarding where and when the drop-in sessions are being held.

Comments must, however, be submitted in writing as well (see how to comment below).

How can I make comments on the Local Plan?

Consultation on the Draft Oldham Local Plan and supporting documents is taking place from 10 January to 23:59 on 25 February 2024, for a period of 6 weeks.

The council is keen to promote the submission of comments electronically and would encourage anyone with access to the internet to make their responses in this way. Comments can be submitted online via the council’s consultation platform.

Oldham’s libraries provide free access to the internet, if you do not have access at home. Alternatively, comments can be emailed to SPI.Consultations@oldham.gov.uk

Or addressed to:

Strategic Planning and Information

Economy, Skills and Neighbourhoods

Room 310, Level 3, Civic Centre

West Street,

Oldham

OL1 1UH

A Comments Form is also available online.

Comments on the Draft Oldham Local Plan, and / or its supporting documents, must be received by 23:59 on 25 February 2024

What will happen following the consultation?

Following the closure of the consultation we will review all comments received. We will make any necessary changes to the plan in response to the consultation feedback and also informed by any further evidence required and any further work on the Integrated Assessment.

We will then move to the next stage of the Local Plan Review (Publication Stage) where the council will issue a final draft of the Local Plan and invite formal representations to be made on the soundness of the Local Plan. More information on this stage will be provided closer to the time.

I would like to join / be removed from the Local Plan mailing list – how do I do this?

Oldham Council maintains a database of consultees who wish to be kept informed about the Local Plan. If you wish to be removed from the mailing list or added please visit our consultation webpage or email us at spi@oldham.gov.uk.


An accessible version of these FAQ's is available via the downloads section on this page.



Oldham Draft Local Plan – Frequently Asked Questions

What is Oldham’s Local Plan?

Oldham’s Local Plan will guide development in the borough up to 2039. The main purposes of the Plan are to:

  • Set out the planning policies that the council will use to determine planning applications once the Plan is adopted;
  • Identify designations for the protection of the borough’s environmental and historical assets, our town centres, employment areas and existing infrastructure;
  • Allocate land to meet our future housing and employments needs; and
  • Support the development of infrastructure, such as transport, education and utilities.

The Local Plan covers the whole borough except that part which falls within the Peak District National Park.

Upon adoption, the Local Plan will replace the Joint Core Strategy and Development Management Policies DPD, which was adopted in November 2011, and any saved planning policies from the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) 2006.

The Local Plan will sit alongside the emerging Places for Everyone Joint Development Plan as one of the key documents that form the development plan for the borough. Other documents in the development plan include the Greater Manchester Joint Waste Development Plan Document (adopted April 2012) and the Greater Manchester Joint Minerals Development Plan Document (adopted April 2013).

Together these documents will inform decision-making on planning applications in the borough of Oldham (excluding within the Peak District National Park).

Why does Oldham need a Local Plan?

Local Plans are a statutory requirement and are the starting point for guiding decisions about individual development proposals, as Local Plans are used in the determination of planning applications.

What is the purpose of the Local Plan consultation?

The purpose of the consultation on the Draft Local Plan is to receive written opinions and comments from a wide range of people and organisations on the proposed vision, plan objectives, planning policies, designations and site allocations.

The comments we receive back will help inform the next stage of the plan – the Publication Stage.

How does the Local Plan relate to Places for Everyone?

The Places for Everyone (PfE) Joint Development Plan Document (DPD), is a strategic plan that will, upon adoption, cover nine of the ten Greater Manchester districts - Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan. PfE:

  • Provides the strategic planning framework sitting above the Oldham Local Plan;
  • Sets out specific requirements to be taken forward through the Oldham Local Plan in relation to housing, offices, and industry and warehousing, and identifies the main areas where this will be focused;
  • Identifies the important environmental assets which will be protected and enhanced;
  • Allocates sites for employment and housing outside of the urban area – in Oldham this is JPA2 Stakehill, JPA12 Beal Valley, JPA13 Bottom Field Farm, JPA14 Broadbent Moss, JPA15 Chew Brook Vale, JPA16 Cowlishaw, JPA17 Land south of Coal Pit Lane’ and JPA18 South of Rosary Road;
  • Supports the delivery of key infrastructure, such as transport and utilities; and
  • Defines a new Green Belt boundary in the borough and across the other eight authorities.

Upon adoption, PfE will form part of the development plan for Oldham. PfE will set the strategic policies and direction for the borough. Oldham’s Local Plan interprets these at a more detailed local level to reflect our priorities and support delivery of the council’s regeneration ambitions and Creating a Better Place.

Information on PfE and the examination can be found on the PfE website.

How does the Oldham Local Plan relate to Neighbourhood Plans?

Communities can prepare Neighbourhood Plans for a designated neighbourhood area.

Once these are prepared and adopted, Neighbourhood Plans become part of the statutory development plan and are used to determine planning applications (alongside the Oldham Local Plan and PfE) for the designated neighbourhood area. The Neighbourhood Plan can have its own vision, objectives, strategy, policies and designations / allocations.

In the borough of Oldham currently Saddleworth Parish Council are preparing Saddleworth Neighbourhood Plan for the parish council area and The New Chadderton Partnership neighbourhood forum are preparing a Neighbourhood Plan for the three wards of Chadderton.

It will be important that these plans are positively prepared and are broadly consistent with PfE and the Oldham Local Plan.

For further information on Neighbourhood Planning please visit our Neighbourhood Planning webpage.

What is the Integrated Assessment?

The Integrated Assessment (IA) is an assessment of the impacts of the Local Plan on environmental, economic and social objectives and forms one of the supporting documents to the Local Plan review.

In recognition that there will be linkages across the various assessments undertaken on the Local Plan, the Sustainability Appraisal, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Equalities Impact Assessment, Health Impact Assessment and Habitats Regulations Assessment all form part of the 'Integrated Assessment'.

The IA identifies any necessary mitigation and / or enhancements required to the Draft Local Plan as the plan is prepared.

Where can I view the Draft Local Plan documents?

The Draft Local Plan consultation documents are available to view on our website at https://www.oldham.gov.uk/localplanreview and our new consultation portal at The Big Oldham Convo.

If you would rather see paper copies, we have the main Draft Local Plan documents available within our libraries and at Access Oldham (please check opening times). Please note that paper copies are limited to the key statutory documents.

However, Oldham Council library staff and strategic planning staff will be happy to help direct you to these topic and background papers if you wish to see them.

Will there be any consultation arranged face-to-face?

Drop-in sessions are also being arranged which will provide a further opportunity for you to find out more about the Draft Oldham Local Plan. Please visit for the council’s website for up-to-date information regarding where and when the drop-in sessions are being held.

Comments must, however, be submitted in writing as well (see how to comment below).

How can I make comments on the Local Plan?

Consultation on the Draft Oldham Local Plan and supporting documents is taking place from 10 January to 23:59 on 25 February 2024, for a period of 6 weeks.

The council is keen to promote the submission of comments electronically and would encourage anyone with access to the internet to make their responses in this way. Comments can be submitted online via the council’s consultation platform.

Oldham’s libraries provide free access to the internet, if you do not have access at home. Alternatively, comments can be emailed to SPI.Consultations@oldham.gov.uk

Or addressed to:

Strategic Planning and Information

Economy, Skills and Neighbourhoods

Room 310, Level 3, Civic Centre

West Street,

Oldham

OL1 1UH

A Comments Form is also available online.

Comments on the Draft Oldham Local Plan, and / or its supporting documents, must be received by 23:59 on 25 February 2024

What will happen following the consultation?

Following the closure of the consultation we will review all comments received. We will make any necessary changes to the plan in response to the consultation feedback and also informed by any further evidence required and any further work on the Integrated Assessment.

We will then move to the next stage of the Local Plan Review (Publication Stage) where the council will issue a final draft of the Local Plan and invite formal representations to be made on the soundness of the Local Plan. More information on this stage will be provided closer to the time.

I would like to join / be removed from the Local Plan mailing list – how do I do this?

Oldham Council maintains a database of consultees who wish to be kept informed about the Local Plan. If you wish to be removed from the mailing list or added please visit our consultation webpage or email us at spi@oldham.gov.uk.


An accessible version of these FAQ's is available via the downloads section on this page.