Places for Everyone

Greater Manchester's plan for homes, jobs and the environment

Up until December 2020 the ten Greater Manchester local authorities were working on a joint development plan document known as Greater Manchester’s Plan for Jobs, Homes & the Environment (known as the “GMSF”).  This had reached its Regulation 19 (Publication) stage of the process, but Stockport Council’s decision to withdraw from the plan signalled the end of the GMSF.  Work has however continued to prepare a plan for the remaining districts now called “Places for Everyone”.


Places for Everyone

Places for Everyone is a long-term plan of nine Greater Manchester districts (Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan) for jobs, new homes, and sustainable growth.  It has been prepared by the GMCA on behalf of the nine districts.

The plan will determine the kind of development that takes place across the city-region, maximising the use of brownfield land and urban spaces while protecting green belt land from the risk of unplanned development.

It will also ensure all new developments are sustainably integrated into Greater Manchester’s transport network or supported by new infrastructure.

The plan is the result of a process that began with the publication of the first Greater Manchester Spatial Framework in 2016 and has been informed by the feedback received from residents, businesses and the development industry.

While the PfE sets out the strategy and policies to guide sustainable growth it also proposes to allocate sites for development across Greater Manchester, which are currently Green Belt.  In Bolton three sites are proposed for employment uses.  Further details on these can be found in the Allocation Topic Papers.

The three sites are:

  • JPA4 Bewshill Farm (5.6 ha)
  • JPA5 Chequerbent North (16.3 ha)
  • JPA6 West of Wingates (184.3 ha)

The plan also proposes two green belt additions in Bolton.  These are at Horwich Golf Club (24.1 ha) and Ditcher’s Farm, Westhoughton (41.3ha).

Submission of Places for Everyone for independent examination

Nine councils in Greater Manchester have now submitted the Places for Everyone plan to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The plan has been submitted together with all the supporting documents, background evidence, and representations received during the final stage of public consultation, which took place from 9 August to 3 October 2021.

Independent Inspectors will now be appointed to undertake an independent examination into the plan.

The submission documents are available to view on the GMCA Places for Everyone webpages.

Please note that no Modifications were considered necessary prior to Submission, therefore the Submission Plan remains unchanged from that published under Reg 19 in August 2021.

Notice of Examination Hearings (Regulation 24)

The Secretary of State has appointed three inspectors to carry out independent examination of the plan and the hearings will commence on Tuesday 1 November 2022 at 9:30am. They are expected to run until Thursday 30 March 2023.

Hearings are to take place at the former Manchester Fire and Rescue Training Centre, Cassidy Close, Manchester M4 5HU.

Further details of the Examination and any changes to the proposed hearings programme are provided on the examination webpage.

All queries regarding the examination should be directed to the Programme Officers Helen Wilson or Yvonne Parker.

The Regulation 24 Statement link below provides full details.

Notice of Examination Hearings (Regulation 24) - Greater Manchester Combined Authority