Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's Local Plan is now ready for adoption provided that a number of modifications are made to it, the plan's inspector has said in his latest report.

The plan outlines how the council will develop the Moorlands in order to comply with Government house building targets, and sets out how many houses will be built in different locations across the district between now and 2033.

Over 900 houses are due to be built in Biddulph during this time period, with areas of the town being removed from the Green Belt and earmarked for future housing developments.

The plan was originally declared "unsound" by inspector Mark Dakeyne due to an area of land near Biddulph Valley Way being marked for housing - this area was then removed from the plan.

However, the inspector's latest conclusion, received by the council on 18th June and published on its website yesterday (Monday), marks an important step in the plan's progression.

In his latest report, Mr Dakeyne writes: "This report concludes that the Staffordshire Moorlands Local Plan provides an appropriate basis for the planning of the District, provided that a number of main modifications are made to it."

He adds: "I conclude that, with the recommended main modifications set out in the Appendix, the Staffordshire Moorlands Local Plan satisfies the requirements of Section 20(5) of the 2004 Act and meets the criteria for soundness in the National Planning Policy Framework."

The main modifications are summarised into 12 main points near the beginning of the report, and laid out in full via supporting appendices in separate documents.

One of the points includes deleting part of the Wharf Road development site which lies to the west of the Biddulph Valley Way from the plan, and retaining the land as Green Belt.

To read the report and its supporting documents in full, visit the Local Plan page of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council's website here.