The Head of Strategic Planning and Economical Development will report at the Meeting.
Minutes:
Crispian Logue, Head of Strategic Planning and Economic Development attended the meeting to report on the current consultation that was being carried out in relation to the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework Development Plan.
It was explained that the consultation was being carried out across the whole of Greater Manchester and would identify areas of land suitable for development as well as areas land suitable for protection.
The plans would cover the whole of Greater Manchester and would identify sites across boundaries but there would also be local plans in each of the 10 local authorities sitting underneath these.
It was explained that there was a need for a further 230,000 new homes across Greater Manchester with a current shortfall of 70, 000 and 3.5m sq metres of employment land of which there was a current 1m sq metre shortfall.
A 'call for sites' had been requested and 650 sites had been submitted by land owners and developers.
The sites were in the process of being assessed by a centrally established team made up of representatives of the 10 GM local authorities. The team would consider issues such as Planning Policy Restrictions, Environmental Issues, Ecological Issues, Accessibility etc and were working alongside other organisations such as Transport for Greater Manchester.
It was explained that as yet no decisions had been made and a draft plan would be drawn up which would be consulted on from October 2016. Identified sites would fall off the plan and new ones would be added and assessed. All stakeholders would be consulted on the revised plan after the initial consultation and the Government would examine the Plan following the consultation.
It was explained that all residents could sign up to the consultation and become stakeholders which would give them the opportunity to comment on proposed sites and suggest their own.
Those present were given the opportunity to ask questions and make comments and the following pointes were raised:-
Councillor Gartside referred to a letter that had recently been sent by Brandon Lewis MP asking that the Government put in place the strongest protection for greenbelt land only adjust this in exceptional circumstances.
Crispian explained that all options would be considered but it was always the case that greenbelt land would only be released under exceptional circumstances.
Councillor Gartside asked what the Council was doing to unlock brown-field sites.
Crispian explained that the Council was in the process of unlocking as many brown-field sites as possible to enable development.
A member of the public referred to a site in Hawkshaw that had recently been advertised for sale and he asked how he would be able to identify whether it was greenbelt.
Crispian explained that pretty much the whole of the Hawkshaw area was greenbelt and that the resident could contact him to identify the site further.
Councillor Gunther referred to the 3000 empty properties in Bury and asked what was being done to bring these back into use.
It was explained that Bury had an empty property strategy which it did use but it did take a while to get the work done. The council were committed to bring as many empty properties back into use as possible.
Councillor Daly referred to the local plan which would sit under the Greater Manchester one and asked if Bury could identify in their plan a policy around protecting greenbelt land.
It was explained that the greenbelt policy locally would replicate the national one.
All those present were invited to sign up to the consultation in order that their comments and suggestions be considered.
It was agreed:
That Crispian Be thanked for his presentation