Mayor announces Housing lead and radical rewrite of Greater Manchester Spatial Framework plan

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has announced an important new appointment to ensure local people can access truly affordable homes. 

Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor, has been chosen to become portfolio holder for housing, planning and homelessness. He will lead on refocusing Greater Manchester’s housing policy, tackling the housing crisis, and the radical rewrite of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

He will also drive forward the Mayor’s plans to tackle homelessness, working with the newly established Greater Manchester Homelessness Action Network to develop innovative solutions to the problem and ensure every Greater Mancunian has a safe and stable roof over their head. 

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: 

"Today I am signaling a change in Greater Manchester's housing policy. As Mayor I am going to focus on tackling the housing crisis and ensure truly affordable housing is available for everyone in Greater Manchester. 

"I will listen to communities and oversee a radical rewrite of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework. I will keep those high ambitions for the homes and jobs we need but there will be a substantial reduction in the loss of greenbelt. Our plan will build the right kind of homes in the right places.

"I'm also issuing a call to developers to work with me to revitalise and reshape our town centres. I want our towns to be residential centres that are fit for the future.

"As Salford City Mayor, Paul is driving the development of social and affordable homes across the city. His zero tolerance approach to poverty and commitment to making sure local people have access to decent, truly affordable homes make him the right person for this role. I’m confident he will help me deliver the homes Greater Manchester needs.”

Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor, said: “I’m really pleased to be taking on this role within Andy’s Cabinet and intend to hit the ground running with regards to delivering on Andy’s mayoral priorities and the challenges ahead.

“Refocusing the Greater Manchester Housing Fund as monies are recycled will be critical to building truly affordable housing within Greater Manchester and meeting housing needs. 

“Similarly, Andy has rightly pledged to eradicate rough sleeping within Greater Manchester by 2020 and I will continue to build on the works of the Homelessness Action Network and the recently launched Mayor’s Homelessness Fund.  A home is a basic human right and any civilised society should look to meet this need, irrespective of how much money someone earns.  

“The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework also provides a unique opportunity within Greater Manchester to provided much-needed homes our residents can afford, connect and strategically integrate the city-region, whilst giving all our residents the best chance of building stable homes, providing for jobs and opportunities, and creating communities we can all be proud of.” 

The Mayor made the announcement at The Hive development in Salford, a £2m flagship Salix Homes scheme which provides much-needed accommodation, training and wrap-around support for young people.

Biography – Paul Dennett

Paul Dennett was born in Warrington and brought up by a working class family.

It was this background which had a huge impact on his politics, where money was tight and the stress of debt was always in the background. Families helped each other and he developed a lifelong appreciation for the public sector - healthcare, education and the ‘blue light’ services.

He attended Park Road Primary School and went on to Great Sankey High School in Warrington before moving to the University of Ulster and the Manchester Universities.

As a teenager he helped out in his parents’ pub changing barrels, lugging crates and talking to the regulars. After that he worked in customer services in a BT call centre, completed his degree and then lectured in Business at Manchester Metropolitan Business School.

Paul proudly served the people of Langworthy as their local councilor, before he became the second directly elected City Mayor on Friday 6 May.