Local Plans set out how Councils will meet the needs of their area in terms of housing, commercial, public and private development, including transport infrastructure, along with protection for the local environment. The plan is the starting point for determining local planning applications, and is therefore a key opportunity for the Ramblers to seek to ensure that all new developments are required to protect the public footpath network and to actively promote walking.

We recognise that the current Covid-19 pandemic is the overwhelming priority for the whole community, we also recognise that the medium and longer-term impacts are almost impossible to assess at this stage.                                                                                                                                                                                               

Within that context, the Manchester and Salford Ramblers have made response to the consultation on the issues that a new Manchester Local Plan should seek to address. For our full submission click here. We strongly endorse the identification of action on climate change as a key issue and believe that it is essential thateach of the five objectives explicitly recognise the importance of promoting walking and cycling.

Moreover, we call for the Plan to require all new developments to include significant improvements in provision for walking and cycling in all but the most exceptional circumstances.

Finally, we propose a new Manchester Greenspace standard, with the objective that everyone in Manchester living no more than a 5-minute walk or 300m from a quality green space, the current crisis has emphasised the importance of this need and the inequalities that exist across our city.