Spatial Framework: ‘We’ve tried to shift as much as we can’

The draft masterplan which could see Bury lose 12 per cent of its green belt was a major topic of conversation at Wednesday’s council meeting.

Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, who led on the council’s contribution to the revised Greater Manchester Spatial Framework draft, told his colleagues that there are lots of risks associated with abandoning the plan.

The cabinet member for housing said that without a plan for homes, the countryside would be open for developers to build wherever they want.

The original 20-year masterplan for jobs and homes in Greater Manchester had a fifth of the borough’s green belt marked down for development but was scrapped after mayor Andy Burnham ordered a “radical rewrite”.

A consultation on the original plan received 27,000 responses, of which around 4,500 were specific to Bury.

Earlier this month it was announced that less green belt would be lost and some of the 11,500 homes required in Bury could be built elsewhere.

Cllr O’Brien said: “We’ve tried our best to shift as much as we can outside of Bury – 2,000 units – and we’re already maximising our brownfield sites.

“By avoiding a collaborative approach, we are at risk of losing the benefit of what we are asking to propose which is shifting 2,000 homes to other boroughs in the conurbation.”

The St Mary’s ward councillor also said that the homes need to be built somewhere in the borough, as required by the government, and encouraged his colleagues to come forward with alternatives.

Council leader Rishi Shori said that Bury had the largest reduction of green belt land lost compared to the first draft out of all ten Greater Manchester districts, leaving over half of the borough’s area in the green belt.

He said: “I fully appreciate that any loss of green belt will be unpopular. However, I must point out that some of the land proposed to be release in the green belt will not be developed, such as that designated for recreational space.”

However, Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Wright asked why these cuts to green belt loss do not benefit certain parts of the borough where almost 40 per cent will be lost.

Under the new proposals Whitefield and Unsworth would lose 35 per cent of its green belt while Prestwich would lose 37 per cent.

Responding, Cllr O’Brien said the majority of this would make way for the Northern Gateway industrial site which would bring considerable economic benefits to the borough.

Conservative leader James Daly asked how much the various infrastructure projects identified in the proposal would cost.

Cllr O’Brien said: “It is too early to provide details of the full costs of the required infrastructure as this will depend on the detail and timing of when developments come forward.”