The draft plan for the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) was approved on Friday 28 October, launching a period of public consultation from Monday 31 October.

The draft framework is the result of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) issuing a call for sites from developers. The sites have been reviewed by the ten borough authorities and the draft framework was approved for public consultation on Friday 28th October.

The framework proposes 225,000 new homes across the region to be built over the next 20 years. Certain boroughs, including Trafford, Salford, Stockport, Bury and Oldham, will see large new developments and housing zones being proposed.

Clearly a controversial issue is that a quarter of new homes proposed in the draft plan are currently situated on greenbelt land. Council leaders are evidently agreed that they will not meet their ambitious housing and employment targets without a fundamental realignment of the greenbelt boundary.

The draft plan is focused on a handful of larger sites capable of supporting new infrastructure and public transport investment. Major strategic sites earmarked in the plan include: the Elton reservoir in Bury, four sites on farmland and fields across Stockport, expanding Carrington in Trafford, Broadbent Moss in Oldham and Lane End between Heywood and Rochdale.

The lead member of the combined authority for planning and housing, Cllr Richard Farnell commented, “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.”

The candidate likely to become the first Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham MP (Labour, Leigh), could find himself in an awkward position given that the GMSF draft plan has now been made public. Earlier this year Mr Burnham said, “If I am successful in becoming Mayor of Greater Manchester I would like to carry out a root and branch reform on housing policy in general in Greater Manchester.

I have major concerns about a private sector-led process because private developers will often go to green sites first because they are easier to develop and often more attractive. For me there is a real public interest developing former industrial sites and in creating more social housing. I don’t want to see our precious green spaces filled with double garages and extensions.”

Clearly the combined authority is attempting to mitigate Mr Burnham’s concerns through a broad focus on brownfield and industrial sites for housing developments. However, Mr Burnham has indicated that he will be “watching closely” throughout the eight-week consultation period and has also called for the level of greenbelt release to be reduced. Upon the approval of the draft plan, several other Greater Manchester MPs have expressed their concerns about the potential disappearance of green space within their constituencies.

Further to the GMSF, Mr Burnham has also said he wants to see more affordable and social housing delivered across Greater Manchester. It will therefore be interesting to see how the £300m Greater Manchester Housing Fund develops under a Burnham mayoralty, given that it is currently designed to boost private sector housing development. Mr Burnham has said he wants to re-negotiate the terms of the fund to boost development opportunities for housing associations and local authorities.

If he does take over as Mayor in May 2017 as many expect, Mr Burnham will have to balance his desire to re-shape the spatial framework and the housing fund with his responsibility to oversee economic growth in Greater Manchester. He will also seek to maintain a constructive and collaborative relationship with the GMCA board in order to make a success of the Greater Manchester devolution experiment.

Can we help you to influence the debate? How will the GMSF affect you and your business? Contact Newington North West today at [email protected]