Investigating Manctopia: A citizen’s guide to the planning system (The Meteor: Manchester’s Independent Media)

Look under the hood of the planning process and learn practical methods for investigating property developments in our city.

Manchester is increasingly defined by its glittering skyline and cultural scene, but it is still a region of economic extremes.

From luxury flats to corporate office blocks and 5-star hotels, the fabric of the city is changing through decisions made in town hall and the boardrooms of huge development firms. But not everyone is seeing the dividends, and while skyscrapers keep rising so do rents and waiting lists for an affordable place to call home.

The process of planning, of designing and deciding what gets built in Manchester, is crucial to making a city safe, affordable and socially diverse. And yet, the system itself can often feel opaque, exclusive and unaccountable.

How should people find out about local developments that affect them? What should you do if you disagree with them, and what evidence do you need to effectively oppose an application?

The Meteor invites you to look under the hood of our planning process and learn practical methods for investigating dodgy developments, bust corporate and developer jargon, decipher planning documents and talk with confidence about the economics behind planning.

The workshop will be led & facilitated by Meteor Journalist Nick Prescott. Nick has written about planning and development in Manchester for over 3 years.

This workshop is Free for all. Register your place via Eventbrite.

Sign up to The Meteor mailing list – click here

The Meteor is a media co-operative on a mission to democratise the media in Manchester. To find out more – click here

Event Details