The Labour-led Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Labour-run Trafford Council have commenced on a so-called consultation on its new plan to concrete over the Green Belt, “Places for Everyone” or PfE, the rebranding of the plan previously known as the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework or GMSF. This will result in the building on huge amounts of Green Belt land across both Trafford and Greater Manchester.
In Trafford, there are two major developments planned on Green Belt land. At New Carrington, 4,300 new homes and 380,000 sq. m of industry and warehousing are planned on Green Belt land, while the area between Timperley and Hale, the ‘Timperley Wedge’, is planned for 1,700 homes and 15,000 sq. m of offices. A total 100ha of Green Belt between Timperley and Hale, and 169ha of Green Belt at New Carrington are planned to be lost forever.
Commenting on the commencement of the consultation on the plan to concrete on our Green Belt, Cllr. Daniel Chalkin, Shadow Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration at Trafford Council said “Trafford Conservatives have put on record their utter opposition to further Green Belt release in Trafford through these awful plans. Conservatives voted against the plan when it was brought to the July 2021 Council meeting and tried to ‘call-in’ the plan for further scrutiny. Regrettably the ruling Labour Group refused to allow this request, to just discuss these plans.
“The plan is now apparently out for consultation, but in reality, the plan is a done deal. The consultation is only asking residents if they think that the plan is ‘sound’ as set out in Government policy and whether it complies with the necessary legal requirements. How is any resident expected to be able to answer those questions on such a complex yet hugely important issue?
“It appears that the questions are designed to be confusing and irrelevant in the hope that residents won’t engage with the consultation. It’s clear from prior consultations that their opinions on Green Belt development won’t be listened to anyway. It has been clear from the outset, that Labour intend to force through these plans against the wishes of local residents.”
