Featured image by Robert Lindsell, Wikimedia Commons.
This week the Salford Council has voted to adopt the Places for Everyone scheme which aims to build 28,000 new homes in the city.
Salford became the first to adopt the development scheme at a council meeting this week on Wednesday February 28.
Places for Everyone is a long-term development plan for nine Greater Manchester districts including Salford. Last year, the plan detailed that it will introduce 175,000 new homes, new jobs and sustainable growth in the designated areas across Greater Manchester.
The plan also aims to maximise the use of brownfield land and urban spaces while protecting green belt land from the risk of unplanned development.
Salford Mayor Paul Dennett said in the meeting: “I am a fan of strategic planning; I am a fan of thinking about the future and why is that? Well we live in very uncertain times be that looking at national government or be that looking at the global economic environment in which we find ourselves.
“Uncertainty seems to be the norm of the day, so for Greater Manchester to be here today and Salford in this case, proposing a plan for the future is really absolutely, fantastic.
“I say that because if we are to realise our regional growth ambitions, if we are to tackle poverty and inequality, having a plan to do so is critical to delivering that.”
The development scheme includes the release of some green belt land in Salford for development. One of the sites in Salford is Hazelhurst Farm in Worsley, where there is a planning application to build 400 new homes.
Apart from four Conservative councillors, the adoption was backed by all members at the council meeting. The four Conservative councillors raised concerns about building on green belt land and a lack of focus on improving infrastructure.
Councillor R Garrido said: “We on this side have not claimed politics with the green belt and this is the main district that we have concern about.”
Councillor R Garrido then read out a letter from Barbara Keeley who is the Labour MP for Worsley.
The letter from Barbara Keeley stated: “I object in the strongest terms to this proposal, – I object because I oppose any loss of green belt land of my constituency.
“There have been two previous consultations on plans to build on green space and I have submitted formal rejections to each of these consultations. I have fought to protect green space in Salford ever since I became an MP in 2005.”
Cllr R Garrido added: “Putting the green belt to one side, we do not think that it addresses all the issues which needed to be addressed with infrastructure generally.
“We all know how bad our infrastructure is in Salford, particularly the road network and congestion which many of us suffer on a daily basis. This plan misses out on one very important area that should have been planned for.”
Other Greater Manchester districts, apart from Stockport, will also be voting on whether to adopt Places for Everyone.
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