Published Rochdale Online 23/09/21
Volunteers from the Bamford Green Belt Group are encouraging residents to have their say and take part in the Places for Everyone public consultation this Saturday (25 September).
The Places for Everyone plan – the successor to the highly controversial Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) – proposes development on local greenbelt land and is currently out for consultation. The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework was replaced by Places for Everyone earlier this year, after Stockport pulled out of the GSMF last year.
The volunteers will be joined on Bamford Green by Heywood and Middleton MP Chris Clarkson who says he is “extremely concerned” by the plan “which is simply a re-run of the controversial Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and ignores the strong response from local people to concrete green belt we cannot afford to lose.”
The consultation is the final stage in the preparation of the plan, which proposes to build 165,000 new homes – down from the 227,000 in the 2016 GMSF draft, and with a 60% reduction in green belt development compared to the first version.
Of these homes, 50,000 will be classed as affordable housing, with 30,000 available for social rent.
More than 55 million sq ft of office, industrial and warehousing space is also proposed across the nine boroughs.
People taking part in the consultation will be able to view the proposed development sites and read supporting documents online.
Mr Clarkson continued: “I have worked with local green belt groups, Conservative councillors, MPs and communities to resist this plan which is based on outdated and flawed data.”
Whilst Mr Clarkson agrees “we need more housing in Greater Manchester”, he added: “This must be the right type of housing built in the right place.
“We do not need dozens of 'executive homes' costing upwards of £250,000 and built on green belt. We need good quality affordable homes, built on brown field sites which can be regenerated to provide housing close to transport links and jobs.
“Even if you are not local to Bamford but care about the green belt where you live, come and see us between 10am - 12pm on Saturday.”
The eight-week consultation period for Places for Everyone closes on 3 October.
To take part visit www.gmconsult.org
