Greater Manchester councils to set out next steps with Places for Everyone joint plan

• Nine councils will discuss proposals to work together on a joint development plan, following announcement in December 2020
• Places for Everyone would underpin Greater Manchester’s ambitious plans for the future, supporting sustainable and inclusive growth
• The plan would build on the evidence base already collected, minimising time and cost in developing a new document
• Councils will continue to work closely with Stockport to deliver shared ambitions across Greater Manchester

NINE councils in Greater Manchester will have their say on plans to bring forward an ambitious joint development strategy for the city-region: Places for Everyone.

Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan councils will consider a report next Friday (12 February) on whether to form a joint committee to develop a long-term plan for jobs, new homes, and sustainable growth across their boroughs.

Places for Everyone would underpin an ambitious vision for Greater Manchester, setting out the steps that can be taken to strengthen our society, economy, and environment, and build resilience in our communities against future challenges.

The plan would map out where inclusive development can take place in areas connected by sustainable transport links, creating new homes and jobs for people across the city-region and laying the foundations for new investment and innovation. It would be also be a key tool in meeting Greater Manchester’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2038.

The proposal follows the decision of Stockport Council last year to withdraw from the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework. The nine councils will continue to work closely with Stockport Council, which will now prepare its own local plan, to deliver on shared objectives and strategies including the Local Industrial Strategy, the Five-Year Environment Plan, and the 2040 Transport Strategy.

Mayor Paul Dennett, City Mayor of Salford and GMCA lead for Housing, Planning and Homelessness, said: “This is a positive step forward, and I hope that next week we will be able to give people further confidence and clarity on our plans.

“The need to map out sustainable growth and protect against unplanned development hasn’t gone away. In the midst of a public health crisis that has struck hardest in the most disadvantaged places, having a positive and ambitious vision for our city-region is more important than it’s ever been. The best way to do that is with a plan that sets out clearly where good homes and jobs will created, secures our most important natural assets, and supports our goal of a carbon neutral future.

“We know that we have to deliver genuinely affordable and good-quality housing across Greater Manchester, bring in new investment, and ensure that people here have access to good jobs in well-connected villages, towns and cities. The extensive work already carried out means that we won’t be starting from scratch, and together our nine councils can get on with bringing forward a new plan that maximises brownfield development and protects green belt as much as is possible.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “We want our councils to produce a credible plan that accommodates growth in the most sustainable way possible.

“While this is a plan that nine of our councils would be developing, every borough in Greater Manchester will continue working together to meet the big challenges we all face – building back better and fairer, tackling inequalities, and decarbonising our economy.”

Article Published: 05/02/2021 12:15 PM