The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework is the wrong plan, at the wrong time, say Liberal Democrats across Greater Manchester.
As the whole region comes to terms with being in Tier 3 Covid Alert, Bury and the other Greater Manchester Councils have chosen today, of all days, to publish the latest proposals for housing land.
Wrong Plan
GMSF is the wrong plan because it builds on our precious green belt land. Despite massive public opposition, Greater Manchester Councils seem determined to build on green belt land.
Bury’s Liberal Democrat Councillors recognise that we will need more homes in the Borough, and we want to build the high quality, affordable and energy efficient homes that people need, but not at the expense of losing our precious green spaces.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, residents have been using our great outdoors for exercise and solace. This experience this year tells us, we need our open spaces more than ever.
Our precious Green Belt land must be protected with development restricted to existing sites and brownfield land.
GMSF’s housing need numbers are based on 2014 data. The numbers are now off. We are now in the middle of a Covid-19 pandemic and soon we will face an uncertain future after Brexit; both will have a massive impact on our future economy and our housing need. GMSF is out of date before it even written never mind published.
Wrong Time
Greater Manchester Councils are proposing to consult with the public in the middle of a pandemic – over Christmas….
In a democracy, people need to be able to meet, to discuss, and to campaign around the issues that affect them in their local areas. This is the wrong time to conduct any consultation if it is to be meaningful and inclusive. At a time when people are rightly focussed on Covid-19 and its massive impact on our lives, it is a disgrace to even call this a consultation.
GMSF is also already based on an outdated process. The Government’s White Paper ‘Planning for the Future’ sets out the new way that local plans will be drawn up and new ways that housing numbers will be calculated.
Councillor Michael Powell, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, said: “I believe that this is the wrong plan presented at the wrong time.”
“Building on Green Belt cannot be justified, especially when, with the economic downturn forecast on the coat tails of Covid-19 and Brexit, we will have more empty shops and offices and undeveloped sites in the town centre that could serve for housing. ”
“Furthermore, people will just not be engaged with this final stage of consultation as they focus on keeping themselves and their families safe from disease and unemployment, as well as celebrating Christmas as best we can.
The Conservative Government’s Planning for the Future proposals will in any case make GMSF redundant as they require every Greater Manchester Council to produce an entirely new local plan within 30 months of the legislation being passed. It is crazy to proceed with GMSF when the rules are so clearly about to change.”
Liberal Democrat Councillors across Greater Manchester will oppose the latest GMSF proposals when they are presented to their Councils. In Bury this is expected for 21 November 2020.
