SADDLEWORTH’S neighbourhood plan is ready to go to the people after passing its final administrative stage.
The document will form the vision of how the area will be taken forward in the coming years, until 2045.
Now after passing the independent examination stage, with a few minor tweaks, it will go to a referendum on Thursday, December 10.
One message from Saddleworth Parish Council throughout nine years of development, meetings and feedback has been to ensure the provision of additional healthcare facilities.
But this is not going to be a case of ‘build, build, build.’
For in the plan, it is stated: “We are very clear that Saddleworth must not become just a commuter area for Greater Manchester and the West Yorkshire conurbations.
“Likewise, the particular qualities which make Saddleworth such an asset to the North of England must be conserved and enhanced.”
Now everyone on the electoral register in Saddleworth will get a vote and it will be a straightforward question of yes or no.
If a majority of voters say yes, the neighbourhood plan will become a legal document and will have to be considered when matters concerning Saddleworth are being discussed.
As part of it, four new sites will be designated as Local Green Spaces with increased protection – Dawson’s Field, Scouthead, Diggle Fields, Ashfield Playing Field in Springhead and Church Fields in Dobcross.
Saddleworth Parish Council has played a integral role throughout and a spokesperson said: “Each policy reflects a real concern which was raised with us, by residents, during consultation and surveys and sets out an approach that developers should meet if they are wishing to build in Saddleworth.”
Other policies cover design and heritage, health and wellbeing, education, housing, retail, commerce and tourism and travel and transport.
Parish Council chair, Cllr Barbara Beeley, said: “People are often sceptical about planning and we were aware of this when we wrote the plan.
“There is always more that can be done, but all of the policies in the plan are specifically intended to make things better now and in the future.”
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