Oldham - Public Local Inquiry for Railway Electrification & Capacity Enhancement Works

The Transport and Works Act 1992

Transport and Works (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 2004

Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990

Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990

Transport and Works Applications (Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Ancient Monuments Procedure) Regulations 1992 (as amended)

Acquisition of Land Act 1981

Network Rail (Stalybridge to Diggle (Saddleworth) Enhancements) Order

NOTICE OF PUBLIC LOCAL INQUIRY

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to Rule 13(6) of the Transport and Works (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 2004, that Mr Matthew Woodward BA (Hons) MA MRTPI PgDip, an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will hold a public local inquiry into the application by Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (“Network Rail”) under section 6 of the Transport and Works Act 1992 for the above mentioned Order under sections 1 and 5 of that Act and into the related applications for deemed planning permission, listed building consent and for open space certificates.

The inquiry will be held at Uppermill Civic Hall, Lee Street, Oldham OL3 6AE starting on Tuesday 9 June 2026 at 10:00 am.

The Order would authorise Network Rail to construct, operate and maintain works on the Transpennine Line between Stalybridge and Diggle (Saddleworth) including works for the electrification of the railway between Stalybridge and Diggle (Saddleworth), for the purposes of increasing capacity and improving journey time and performance reliability of railway services on the Transpennine Route both between Stalybridge and Diggle (Saddleworth) and between Manchester, Leeds and York.

The Order would authorise works to upgrade the operation of the existing railway between Stalybridge and Diggle (Saddleworth), including the construction of a new station at Mossley, railway electrification works and bridge reconstruction works.

The Order also confers powers to close and replace existing level crossings on the railway between Stalybridge and Diggle (Saddleworth) and powers in connection with the construction and operation of the railway.

The Order makes provision for Network Rail to compulsorily acquire land, the subsoil and airspace of land, interests in land, including the imposition of restrictive covenants, and to use land temporarily for the purposes of the works to be authorised by the Order and the provision of railway infrastructure on the railway between Stalybridge and Diggle (Saddleworth) for which Network Rail has permitted development rights.

The Order makes provision for the disapplication of legislative provisions. The Order also makes provision regarding the application of local railway enactments.

The Order includes provisions to execute street works, temporarily and permanently stop up footpaths and highways, alter the layout of streets, provide access to works, make traffic regulations and provisions relating to streets.

The Order makes provision to discharge water, to carry out protective works to buildings, roads and apparatus of a statutory undertaker on land within the limits of the Order, to survey and investigate land and to temporarily close and carry out works in the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

The Order also provides for powers relating to the operation and use of the railway, a defence to proceedings in respect of statutory nuisance, the felling or lopping of trees overhanging the proposed works and the prevention of obstruction of the construction of works and ancillary provisions.

The application is not to be made subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment.

The application contains a statement that a direction for deemed planning permission is being applied for.

Listed building consents are also required for the purposes of proposals included in the application for the Order.

An application for open space certificates under section 19 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 has also been made.

Further details, including arrangements for the inspection of plans and other documents, as well as arrangements for the live streaming of the inquiry, can be obtained in the first instance from the Programme Officer for the Inquiry, Ms Joanna Vincent, Gateley Hamer, 2000 Cathedral Square, Cathedral Hill, Guildford, GU2 7YL (telephone: 01483 230 164, mobile: 07483 133 975, email: Joanna.vincent@gateleyhamer.com) and during the inquiry at Uppermill Civic Hall mentioned above.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP, Solicitors and Parliamentary Agents, One Wood Street, London EC2V 7WS.

On behalf of Network Rail Infrastructure Limited.

21 May 2026