The Local Plan is a guide to development and growth in the city over the next fifteen years and Manchester people are invited to have their say for the final time yesterday.

The Plan is a legal requirement for every Council to set out a long-term framework about how development should be considered through the planning process, including new housing – as well as affordable homes – green spaces, development that creates employment opportunities, infrastructure projects such as roads, health facilities and schools – and how the city will achieve net zero carbon.  

The Plan complements a range of strategies and policies that look to deliver the vision of the Council.  

An initial consultation took place in September 2025 starting a process of review and engagement through the last year. This consultation attracted 2,184 responses that have since been considered by planning officers to help update the draft local plan.  

The Local Plan is currently going through Regulation 19, which is the final version of the plan before it is referred to a government inspector for public examination. 

The public will be asked for their comments relating to how ‘workable’ the draft plan is in practice, which is a requirement set out by Government. This ‘test of soundness’ asks the public: does the plan meet its objectives.  

Key changes to the draft local plan following previous consultation: 

• Affordable Housing – the draft plan states that development should strive to deliver against a target of 30% affordable housing across the city each year.  
• Social housing should account for 70% of the 30% affordable homes target.  
• Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) should include affordable home provision to support lower-income students.  
• New housing should be built to accessible standards, along with provision for homes designed to allow full wheelchair access.  
• Green spaces should be protected through Local Green Space designations, with a range of sites city wide being taken forward as suitable for designation.  
• The Aquarius Estate in Hulme should be excluded from extended city centre designation.  
• Zero Carbon as a key consideration of future development while continuing to work with Manchester Climate Ready on the approach.  

Take part in the Local Plan consultation 

Local people, community organisations, businesses and stakeholders can take part in the consultation, submitting their views online via an online platform and all details are available on the following council web page 

A hard copy of the consultation will also be made available in Manchester Central Library.  

The consultation will remain open until Monday 28 Sept.  

The previous Manchester Local Plan was adopted in 2012. The current review was delayed while the Greater Manchester Places for Everyone plan was adopted, into which the Manchester Plan must align.   

Following consultation, the final draft of Manchester’s Local Plan will be submitted to a government inspector with an expectation that the plan will be adopted in the summer of 2027. 

Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration, said:  

“It’s important that future development plays its part well in making sure Manchester remains a great place to live, with great homes that our residents can afford in attractive neighbourhoods that they want to live in with quality green spaces nearby. This is the role of the Local Plan – to help guide development to help us deliver our vision and ambition. 

“The Local Plan will complement a range of other strategies delivering for our city, in particular our housing strategy that has set an ambitious target to deliver at least 36,000 new homes by 2032 – 10,000 of which will be social, Council and genuinely affordable homes. And the Local Plan looks to increase the target of social rent and affordable homes each year to deliver the homes our residents need.  “Last year we saw thousands of responses that have helped guide our Local Plan review. This is the final chance for Manchester people to comment on the updated draft local plan, and we’d encourage as many people as possible to take part of play their part in guiding development in our city.”

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