More delays for second consultation

FLASHPOINT . . . a recent walk and meeting against Greater Manchester Spatial Framework at Tandle Hill

A SECOND consultation on the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) has been delayed until next summer as the controversial plan is revised and rewritten to reflect concerns raised by members of the public.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett and the leaders of Greater Manchester's councils have discussed the timeframe and publication of the second draft of the GMSF, which sets out a plan to provide housing and investment opportunities for sustainable growth over the next 20 years.

Within the first draft, the framework identified that an additional 227,200 new homes would be needed across Greater Manchester by 2035, including 13,700 (6 per cent of the total figure) in Oldham.

To meet this need, several areas in Oldham were identified as potential sites for development, including Cowlishaw (640 new homes), Broadbent Moss (1,000 new homes and employment floorspace), Beal Valley (900 new homes) and Hanging Chadder (600 new homes).

There were also plans for 100 holiday lodges and 120 new homes at Robert Fletcher's Paper Mill and the surrounding land close to Dovestone Reservoir, as well as plans to build on land east and west of the A627(M) and on an area south of Junction 21 (M62), between Newhey, the A663, High Crompton and Burnerbridge within the first draft.

After the proposals were first released in October last year there was widespread opposition and several protests by campaign groups looking to protect areas under threat of development, particularly areas of greenbelt land.

The first consultation period, which ended early this year, saw the more than 27,000 responses and a second consultation was due to take place in September.

However, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has announced that the second draft of the framework will take into account concerns raised by some members of the public during the first consultation period, and will aim to make the most of Greater Manchester's brownfield sites and reduce the impact on greenbelt.

Paul Dennett, City Mayor of Salford and Greater Manchester Combined Authority lead member for housing, planning and homelessness, said: "The Mayor of Greater Manchester and council leaders have discussed the next steps for the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

"To do justice to the 27,000 responses received as part of the initial consultation, and to demonstrate continued trust and transparency in the process, we agreed a timetable with a series of steps leading up to the publication of the revised plan.

"This process will start in September with the publication of the responses to the initial consultation. This will be followed later in the year by the publication of data and associated sources of information such as population estimates which will help us calculate the requirements for housing and employment. Some of this information isn't yet available, for example we are waiting for the government to publish its national methodology for calculating housing need, which we expect will now be released in the autumn.

"The second draft of the plan will be developed in the new year, with a view to publish it in June 2018. Following publication of the draft plan, there will be a 12-week consultation with the public.

"We will, of course, continue to listen to and engage with the public as the new draft of the plan is developed, as well as keeping the public updated on progress."

The GMSF, which is being produced by all 10 councils working together in partnership, aims to ensure that Greater Manchester has the right land available in the right places to deliver the homes and jobs up to 2035.