FIVE years and £200,000 later, Bury's planning blueprint for the 21st century is finally ready. Council bosses have officially adopted their Unitary Development Plan (UDP) which will determine a huge variety of planning matters in the borough for years to come.

Residents and businesses have five weeks to inspect the plans. Barring a legal challenge through the High Court, the UDP will become the sole statutory development plan for the borough.

Consultation with individuals, landowners and businesses started back in 1992. More than 600 objections were later considered at a public inquiry lasting six months.

The inquiry inspector produced a 250-page report and, following his recommendations, the council made 230 modifications.

The massive task has all but reached its conclusion. Officers now have to compile a "complete" UDP document, rewriting the original draft plan as a result of the changes.

Coun Julie Higson, development services chairman, said: "The preparation of the UDP has been one of the largest planning tasks undertaken by the council.

"All the effort has been worthwhile, for the borough now has a comprehensive land use and transportation plan to take it into the next century."

A council spokesman said Bury was required by law to produce a UDP and meet all the costs, which he estimated would be £200,000 in the end. The public inquiry, including the inspector's fees, took up two-thirds of the cost.

Mr Ian Cheetham, development and environmental services director, said the UDP swept away a wide range of old town maps and local plans dating back decades.

"Having a single set of up-to-date planning policies which reflect current issues, such as today's much greater concerns for environmental matters, will be very useful in considering planning applications and proposals for development," he said.

"It will, hopefully, enable planning issues to be more readily understood by the public."

Mr Cheetham said it was unfortunate that legal rules meant the process took so long. However, the Government was trying to speed things up, possibly by the time the UDP was reviewed.

Some areas of the plan will soon have to be looked at again - housing land provision, for instance, applies only until 2001.

Residents can inspect the newly-adopted UDP at any borough library, Bury Town Hall, and development services HQ in Craig House, Bury, or call 253 5283.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.