Purpose

To seek member
approval to undertake public consultation on the draft
Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

Content

The Cabinet
considered a report of the Director of Economy and Place, which
sought approval of the draft Simister Bowlee (Northern Gateway)
Development Framework (NGDF) Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)
as the basis for public consultation for at least four weeks
commencing in February 2026.
 
The Principal
Planning Officer was in attendance to present the information and
to address questions and comments of the Cabinet
Members.
 
The Officer
informed that the Northern Gateway Development Framework SPD
related to allocation JPA 1.2 Northern Gateway (Simister / Bowlee)
within the adopted Places for Everyone Plan (PfE). It had been
prepared jointly with Bury Council, with technical input from the
Northern Gateway Development Vehicle (NGDV) as the principal site
promoter.
 
The main purpose
of the SPD was to set the parameters for the use of the site and
provide additional guidance for landowners and developers
submitting planning applications in the future. Once the
development framework was adopted, any planning applications within
the allocation would need to be in accordance with it.
 
This report sought
Cabinet approval to consult publicly on the draft SPD. Following
consultation, a further report would come to Cabinet summarising
consultation outcomes and seeking approval and adoption of the
final document and any amendments if made.
 
Resolved:

1.    
That the draft Simister Bowlee (Northern Gateway) Development
Framework (NGDF) SPD (outlined in Appendix 1 to the report) be
agreed as the basis for public consultation for at least four weeks
commencing in February 2026;

2.    
That the Assistant Director of Economy be given delegated
authority to make minor, non-material modifications to the draft
Simister/Bowlee (Northern Gateway) Development Framework
Supplementary Planning Document before consultation
commences.
 
Reason for
decision:
Regulation 12 of
the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England)
Regulations 2012 required that public consultation was undertaken
prior to the adoption of an SPD. This enabled stakeholders to have
the opportunity to provide comments on the draft SPD before it was
formally adopted.
 
Alternatives
considered and rejected:
There were not
considered to be any reasonable alternative options. If the draft
SPD was not approved for consultation, it would prevent
stakeholders from having the opportunity to comment on it. This
would mean that the SPD could not be adopted as it would be
contrary to planning regulations.