Campaigners step up opposition to plans to build on green belt land

Milnrow and Newhey 'save our green belt' campaigners

A group of campaigners are stepping up their opposition to recent plans to build residential and industrial developments on green belt land in Newhey and Milnrow.

Concerned residents are holding an open meeting at Newhey Lodge, Huddersfield Road, on Friday 13 January at 7pm. They want to spread the word and discuss their opposition to the plans set out in the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) draft. Local councillors have been invited to attend, with Milnrow and Newhey councillor Andy Kelly speaking at the event.

The GMSF, published in October 2016, states that 227,200 new homes are needed in Greater Manchester by 2035. As part of this, the draft proposes the completion and extension of Kingsway Business Park to the South of the M62 motorway, and the building of 1,500 new dwellings between Newhey and Crompton. However, 120 of those houses are planned for green belt land.

Speaking at a December council meeting, Leader of the Council Richard Farnell promised that brown field sites would be built on first before any green belt land was touched. However, he insisted that objections with no legitimate grounds shouldn’t stand in the way of the proposals that the GMSF argues could “genuinely transform the economic prospects for this part of Greater Manchester”.

Resident Ellen Kay, who is chairing Friday’s meeting, expressed her concern about the plans. She said: “It’s not fair. We fully appreciate the shortage of housing, but why choose green belt land?

“Kingsway Business Park is not to capacity, so why build another industrial park?

“The plans would also put a strain on existing infrastructure because the M62 corridor is completely busy and one of the most polluted areas anyway.”

Friday’s meeting will continue work already done informing Newhey residents of the proposals. Last week, campaigners distributed leaflets in the village, and Mrs Kay says this generated a “fantastic response”. The meeting will also help residents to submit their objections, before a deadline of 16 January.

Following the meeting, campaigners hope to form a committee in order to create an organised opposition to the plans. Mrs Kay said: “If we want to do this properly we need people with expertise we haven’t got, like solicitors and accountants. We’re not going down without a fight.”

Earlier this month, thousands of campaigners marched to Tandle Hill from Milnrow and Newhey, Middleton, Shaw, Royton and Chadderton to raise awareness of the proposals around Greater Manchester.