Content

Purpose of the Report:
The purpose of the report was
to seek approval from the Cabinet of the draft South Pennine Moors
Special Area of Conservation (SAC) / Special Protection Areas
(SPAs) Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (detailed at Appendix
1 to the report),
and supporting documents (detailed at Appendices 2 and 3 to the
report) as the basis for a six-week public consultation; and to
delegate approval to Assistant Director for Planning, Transport and
Housing Delivery to make minor, non-material modifications to the
draft South Pennine Moors SPD before consultation commences,
subject to consultation and agreement with the two other Places for
Everyone authorities (Rochdale Council and Tameside Council). This
will enable stakeholders to have the opportunity to provide
comments on the South Pennine Moors SAC / SPA SPD before it is
formally adopted.
 
Reasons for the Recommendations:
Places for Everyone Plan (PfE Plan)
is a joint development plan document of nine Greater Manchester
authorities which was adopted on 21st March 2024. The PfE Plan sets out a clear spatial strategy for
delivering new homes and businesses along with infrastructure to
support development and to protect and enhance our towns,
cities and landscapes. It covers a
timeframe up to 2039.
 
The
South Pennine Moors Special Area of Conservation (SAC) / Special
Protection Areas (SPAs) Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)
(hereafter referred to as the ‘South Pennine Moors
SPD’) is applicable to three of the PfE Plan authorities - Oldham (not including the
area covered by the Peak District National Park), Rochdale and
Tameside and is being prepared jointly by these three
authorities.
 
The
importance of the South Pennine Moors is reflected in a range of
international, national and local
habitat designations. It supports important breeding bird
populations and is classified as a SAC and two SPAs. The SPD
relates to the:
 

a.   
South Pennine Moors
SAC.

b.   
Peak District Moors
SPA.

c.   
South Pennine Moors
Phase 2 SPA.
 
Through the Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) process in
support of the PfE Plan new development
within parts of these authorities was identified as having the
potential to cause an adverse impact on the protected habitats and
species on the South Pennine Moors areas listed above. To mitigate
against this potential harm, PfE Plan
Policy JP-G5: Uplands provides policy which will ensure that new
development in these areas will not result in an adverse impact on
the protected habitats and species.
 
Options/Alternatives Considered:
Option 1 – To approve the draft South Pennine Moors
Special Area of Conservation (SAC)/Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
Supplementary Planning (SPD), and supporting documents (detailed at
Appendices 2 and 3 to the report) as the basis for a six-week
public consultation commencing no earlier than 1st November 2024;
and to delegate approval for Assistant Director Planning, Transport
and Housing Delivery to make minor, non-material modifications to
the draft South Pennine Moors SAC/SPA SPD and supporting documents
before consultation commences, subject to consultation and
agreement with the two other Places for Everyone authorities who
are jointly preparing the SPD (Rochdale Council and Tameside
Council). This will enable stakeholders to have the opportunity to
provide comments on the South Pennine Moors SPD before it is
formally adopted. There are no disadvantages to this
option.
 
Option 2 - To not approve the South Pennine Moors Special Area
of Conservation (SAC)/Special Protection Areas (SPAs) Supplementary
Planning Document (SPD) and supporting documents (detailed at
Appendices 2 and 3 to the report) as the basis for consultation.
This would prevent stakeholders commenting on the SPD. This would
result in the future adoption of the document being contrary to
planning regulations and would significantly limit the ability of
the PfE authorities to secure
appropriate development in the South Pennine Moors area of the
three authorities.
 
Option 1 is the preferred Option.
 
Decision:
The Cabinet resolved
to:

1.   
Approve the draft
South Pennine Moors Special Area of Conservation (SAC) / Special
Protection Areas (SPAs) Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)
(detailed at Appendix 1 to the report) and supporting documents
(detailed at Appendices 2 and 3 to the report) as the basis for a
six-week public consultation commencing no earlier than 1st
November 2024.

2.   
Delegate approval for
Assistant Director Planning, Transport and Housing Delivery to make
minor, non-material modifications to the draft South Pennine Moors
SAC / SPA SPD and supporting documents before consultation
commences, subject to consultation and agreement with the two other
Places for Everyone authorities who are jointly preparing the SPD
(Rochdale Council and Tameside Council).