Planning policy
Tameside Council has submitted and recieved outline planning for Godley Green. Having permission granted, has given us the key to unlocking much needed homes and wider benefits for local people.
Godley Green Planning Application Approach
The innovative Godley Green Garden Village Development has taken another step forward. An application has been approved for outline planning permission. The outline element defines the scale and nature of the proposed development, whilst details are included for the access points. Further detail will be agreed through 'Reserved Matters' applications at a later stage.
All planning applications will be subject to public and independent professional scrutiny before any decision is made.
Adopted Planning Policy Position:
Green Belt
The current development plan for Tameside allocates the site for a variety of designations. This includes the site’s position within Tameside's Green Belt. The Green Belt is a designation that covers large areas of land within the countryside, with the aim of preventing urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open.
​Most forms of new development are restricted in the Green Belt unless it meets one or more exceptions set out in national planning policy. Where new development does not meet such exceptions, it will be necessary to demonstrate that there are Very Special Circumstances to justify the development. "Very Special Circumstances" is not a defined term in planning and is a matter of planning judgement to be taken by the decision-taker.
In order to demonstrate that Very Special Circumstances exist, it is necessary to demonstrate that the benefits of the proposed development clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and any other harm arising from the development.
Places for Everyone (PFE): Godley Green Allocation
Up until the end of 2020, the 10 local authorities of Greater Manchester were preparing a joint development plan known as the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF). As a joint development plan document for each authority the GMSF, once adopted, would:
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set out how Greater Manchester should be developed to 2037
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identify the amount of new development that will come forward across the 10 districts, in terms of housing, offices, and industry and warehousing, and the main areas in which this will be focused;
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support the delivery of key infrastructure, such as transport and utilities;
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protect important environmental assets across the city region;
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allocate sites for employment and housing outside of the existing urban area; and
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define a new green belt boundary for Greater Manchester.
In each published draft of the GMSF, an exceptional circumstances case for amending the current Green Belt boundary in Tameside was identified. This includes, but is not limited to, meeting the need for housing and employment land as well as rebalancing growth across the city region. As part of this process, Godley Green was proposed to be removed from the Green Belt and allocated for up to 2,350 new homes with a range of supporting services and infrastructure to provide a sustainable new community.
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However, following the withdrawal of Stockport Council in December 2020 from the joint development plan process, the GMSF is no longer being progressed and has officially been withdrawn. Instead, the nine remaining Greater Manchester authorities have formally adopted the Places for Everyone (PFE) as a new joint development plan.
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Much of PFE, including its spatial strategy, planning policies, proposed allocations and evidence base, are based on the GMSF. The site’s proposed allocation in the GMSF has therefore been carried across in PFE, as set out through Policy JP Allocation 31. The proposed allocation of Godley Green in PFE can be viewed here: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/media/4838/places-for-everyone.pdf
A consultation on the Publication Draft of PFE ended on Sunday, 3 October 2021. The joint development plan was submitted to the Secretary of State in early 2023, alongside all supporting documents and representations received during the final round of consultation, for an independent examination.
With effect from 21 March 2024 Places for Everyone, is the long-term strategic plan for nine Greater Manchester boroughs, and is a part of Tameside’s statutory Development Plan. The plan has been adopted by all nine districts (Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Manchester, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan).
The relevant adoption documents can be viewed below:
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The Integrated Assessment (incorporating sustainability appraisal) adoption statement (as required by regulation 16 of the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004)
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