Web Analytics
top of page
Search
Writer's pictureNoel

Labour to bulldoze the Green Belt!

Places for Everyone (and the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework before it) was originally sold to us as a spatial plan that would provide affordable housing and protect the Green Belt. Labour-run councils across Greater Manchester told us that for the small sacrifice of a few Green Belt sites, the GMSF would protect the Green Belt from the Tories. Save Royton’s Greenbelt quickly cottoned on that this was a big, fat lie, and that the plan was not so much driven by the Tory housing targets, but rather by Labour councils that were manipulating the housing land assessments to force development into the Green Belt. The GMSF has always been driven by Labour and, now elected into Government, they have finally dropped the pretence: Labour intends to rip up the planning regulations and make it open season on the Green Belt. Everyone who has supported our campaign will be wondering what this means for Royton’s Green Belt. Unfortunately there are more questions than answers...


Oldham MP and Minister of State for housing, Jim McMahon, is coming for your Green Belt...and your garage


The Government’s “Grey Belt”

Not much was revealed about Labour’s plans in the King’s speech this week, announcing the bills that would be taken through the new parliament, other than that planning rules would be “streamlined” to speed up planning applications. We do know from their own announcements that this includes reinstating mandatory housing targets, introducing legislation to “over-ride NIMBYs”, and creating a new Green Belt designation: Grey Belt. The way the new housing Minister—Oldham’s very own Jim McMahon—tells it, is that this new category will encompass “car parks and disused garages” and other sites of low ecological value. Supposedly. It is not known at this time whether the new policy will over-ride Places for Everyone.


The Mayor’s new housing targets

Places for Everyone is committed to building 10,000 homes per annum up until 2039. It is this commitment which was used to justify building over 20,000 homes in the Green Belt. However, Andy Burnham has pledged to the Government that Greater Manchester will build 15,000 homes over the next five years—in total adding 25,000 to the housing target. The Mayor does not have the legal power to impose such a target so it is not all clear how it would be implemented; it would require agreement from the councils to adopt a higher target, or it would have to be imposed by the Government. Given that we were forced to allocate Green Belt to meet the current housing targets, it is likely that a higher target would precipitate more Green Belt release in the forthcoming Local Plans.


Oldham Council’s review

Whilst Labour was swept to power with a tremendous majority in the general election, the same cannot be said for Oldham Labour in the local elections. Labour lost its majority and was forced into a coalition with the Shaw and Failsworth Independent parties. The coalition arrangement has resulted in a climbdown on several fronts, one of which was a Lib Dem motion for the Council to review Oldham’s adoption of Places for Everyone. The Shaw Independents used their coalition arrangement to get the motion over the line. The Council will compile a report on the alternatives available to Places for Everyone and report back in September. The Council cannot unilaterally leave the Plan, and would legally require permission from the Government, which is unlikely to be forthcoming in the current political climate.


Save Greater Manchester Greenbelt’s judicial review

SGMGB has applied to the High Court for a judicial review of the Places for Everyone. If permission is granted it could have consequences for Hanging Chadder and Thornham Old Road in the event of a win. However, SGMGB only seeks to drop the Green Belt allocations from the plan, rather than discarding it outright.


The next steps for Save Royton’s Greenbelt

The 200 club money remains untouched and fully accounted for. Since the 200 club was a “loan” system expressly tied to the two de-allocated Thornham sites the funds have not been committed to SGMGB’s legal action. We had hoped to return the money this spring, but this has now been provisionally delayed until SGMGB receives a decision from the High Court. We don’t want to divest our funds only for our sites to end up back in the cross-hairs of developers.


If you live in Royton South, then the battle to save Royton Moss and Beal Valley goes on, via the SGMGB legal action. Save Derker’s Greenbelt is the fundraising lead for these sites. If you would like to make a contribution to SGMGB’s legal fund, then you can donate through the online Oldham fundraiser.


We will update you when we have some firm news. Thank you for your ongoing support.


Yours Sincerely


Save Royton's Green Belt
0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page