To meet immediate local housing needs identified in the combined local authority’s Places for Everyone (PfE) plan, our team is helping to support the creation of new communities in Walshaw, Greater Manchester.
For this project, we were tasked with helping progress a major strategic housing allocation in Walshaw, Bury. Our job was to support a consortium of landowners and developers through the planning and masterplanning process to secure the adoption of the Walshaw Development Framework.
Our team prepared a masterplan to support the site's promotion through the PfE. We remained involved as the 1,250-home scheme evolved through consultation examination and adoption. We then secured the allocation of the site within PfE at a stage when it risked being removed, providing leadership and reassurance through the examination and adoption process.
Working closely with Bury Council and the consortium, our team coordinated the preparation of planning and urban design outputs, produced materials for public consultation, and navigated feedback from interested parties and consultees. We established a clear route from concept and design principles to policy compliance and infrastructure delivery.
When complete, the Walshaw Development Framework aims to create a balanced, sustainable new community. Key features will include extensive green and blue infrastructure, pocket parks, play spaces, ecological corridors, a safeguarded site for a new school, health and social facilities, a mobility hub, and a strategic through-road supported by active travel routes and bus access. The design retains important landscape features, ecological assets, and local views while accommodating different housing types, and 25% of the homes will be classed as affordable.
The plan progressed to formal adoption in June 2026, providing a framework for future development. By combining planning and urban design advice while managing interests from various parties, our team created a deliverable vision that supports housing growth, community infrastructure, improved connectivity, and long-term investment in the wider area.
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