Authorities have approved and launched for public consultation regarding the first draft the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

It is aiming to, by 2035, supply 227,200 new homes across Greater Manchester. The views of Greater Manchester residents will now be sought during an eight-week consultation.

The joint authorities’ plan, (the GMSF), for land allocation across Greater Manchester with the hope of providing housing and investment opportunities for sustainable growth.

The local authorities of Greater Manchester are working together to guarantee new homes and jobs are provided in the right places, alongside the infrastructure to support communities and manage growth sustainably.

At the August 2016 meeting of the joint GMCA board, a growth option for Greater Manchester was agreed.

Since then, it has been developed into a draft plan, which, in turn, identifies the need for an additional 227,200 new homes across Greater Manchester by 2035.

One of the main contemplations of the development of the framework has been accept a brownfield first approach to land allocation.

Almost three quarters of the proposed land supply is within the existing urban area on brownfield land with the remaining new allocations from land being withdrawn from the greenbelt.

With the aim of preventing development in the newly designated greenbelt, but also meeting our housing and employment needs over the next 20 years, a new greenbelt boundary for Greater Manchester has been created.

In order to check unplanned development Greater Manchester’s greenbelt was designated thirty years ago, in the meantime staying relevant for that purpose.

Now is the right time to review the boundary to guarantee that over the next 20 years, there will be space to grow.

The goal of the GMSF is to reduce the number of developments on greenbelt land by focusing on a small amount but large sites.

In turn, this will be offering the support of developments with the obligatory transport infrastructure that is needed for schools, as well as other services that are needed to make a neighborhood successful.

The lead member for planning and housing at GMCA, Councillor Richard Farnell, had the following to say:

“In order to continue to attract business, workers and tourists, we need to grow. We will successfully manage this growth and deliver major economic, social and environmental improvements. We are mindful that this needs to support Greater Manchester’s prosperity in the long term as well as meet its short-term needs. We want all residents of Greater Manchester to share in the benefits of this prosperity.”

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