Consultation on Local Plan opens

Residents, businesses and organisations are invited to have their say on Tameside's planning blueprint for the next 15 years.

Tameside Council has approved the publication of its draft Homes, Spaces, Places (HSP) Local Plan, marking a significant milestone in shaping the future of the borough.

The plan sets out a comprehensive vision for how Tameside will grow and develop up to 2042, identifying locations for new homes, jobs, regeneration, infrastructure and environmental improvements, while using brownfield sites and protecting borough's Green Belt and enhancing its natural environment.

The Local Plan is important because, by law, planning decisions must normally follow it. This means that when the council considers planning applications, it uses the policies in the plan as the main guide for deciding whether a proposal should be approved or refused, unless there are strong reasons to do otherwise.

Residents, businesses, community groups and stakeholders are invited to comment on the plan before it is submitted to Government for independent examination.

Homes, Spaces, Places builds on the strategic framework established through the adoption of Greater Manchester's Places for Everyone plan in 2024. While Places for Everyone sets the overall scale and distribution of development across nine Greater Manchester boroughs, Homes, Spaces, Places provides the detailed local policies and site allocations specifically for Tameside.

Key areas of focus in the draft plan include:

• Delivering new homes - at least 9,700 new homes will be built between 2022 and 2042, with a strong focus on bringing forward brownfield sites and regenerating town centres.
• Supporting economic growth - at least 42,100 square metres of office floorspace and 221,900 square metres of industrial and warehousing floorspace will be made available, creating opportunities for new jobs and investment across Tameside.
• Protecting the Green Belt – Homes, Spaces, Places does not propose any further Green Belt releases beyond those already established through Places for Everyone. Instead, the plan focuses on protecting the Green Belt and directing new development towards brownfield sites, vacant and underused land, and the reuse of existing buildings within the urban area
• Revitalising Tameside’s town centres – the plan identifies town centres as the focus for regeneration, supporting new homes, jobs, leisure, culture and community facilities. Ashton-under-Lyne continues as the borough's principal centre, alongside major regeneration opportunities in Hyde, Denton, Stalybridge, Droylsden, Hattersley and Mossley
• Delivering a greener future – the plan includes measures to tackle climate change, boost biodiversity and improve environmental quality. The plan also aims to enhance parks, green spaces and sports facilities, improving access to nature and recreation and strengthening green infrastructure across the borough.

The draft plan follows four previous rounds of consultation and evidence gathering, and has been informed by extensive engagement with residents, businesses, landowners, and partner organisations.

Tameside Council Deputy Leader (Growth, Housing and Homelessness) Cllr Andrew McLaren said: “Homes, Spaces, Places sets out how we can deliver the homes, jobs, infrastructure and investment our communities need while protecting the character of our towns, villages and green spaces. This publication stage is focused on seeking views on whether the plan is sound, supported by robust evidence and capable of being delivered.

"It builds on the foundations already established through Places for Everyone and provides a clear local vision for sustainable growth up to 2042. It prioritises regeneration, supports our town centres, makes the best use of brownfield land – which is always our preference - and ensures development is well-thought out, coordinated with local priorities and directed to the right places.

"We've listened carefully to residents, businesses and stakeholders throughout the plan-making process, and this publication stage is another important opportunity for people to give feedback.”

The consultation is open from 1 October to 13 November 2026. The Plan and all supporting documents can be found on the council’s website at www.tameside.gov.uk/homesspacesplaces or is available to view at local libraries. Feedback can be submitted via the online survey or in the following ways:

• By the online form at www.tameside.gov.uk/homesspacesplaces

• By email to planpolicy@tameside.gov.uk

• By post to Planning Policy Team, Tameside One, PO Box 304, Ashton-under Lyne, Tameside, OL6 0GA

This Publication stage consultation follows four previous rounds of engagement which have helped shape and refine the Homes, Spaces, Places Plan. The focus of this final consultation is whether the Plan meets legal requirements, is based on robust evidence, can be delivered effectively and is sound when assessed against national planning policy.

Following the consultation period, the council will consider all representations received before deciding whether to submit the plan to the Secretary of State for independent examination by a Planning Inspector. If found sound and subsequently adopted, Homes, Spaces, Places will become Tameside's statutory development plan through to 2042, helping guide investment, regeneration and development across the borough.