Bamford opposes Greater Manchester Spatial Framework

Councillor Pat Sullivan chaired the meeting to oppose proposals for development in Bamford

An action committee, consisting of 12 people from the Bamford Green Belt Action Group, had their first meeting on Friday 2 December to oppose the proposals put forward in the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

Founding member of the original Bamford Green Belt Action Group, Anne Shorrock, said: “This strategy affects the whole of the Greater Manchester area and the public are up in arms about their Green Belt being ripped up for building. The Green Belt is necessary – it stops towns from merging into one another.

“The site in Bamford is the only green space that we can access without permission. It is privately owned but the whole site is criss-crossed with rights of way and footpaths that developers cannot ignore. The site will also be a developer’s nightmare because of the underground watercourses, wells, springs and cables. The whole site is sodden, plus the water rights are very muddled because of its industrial history.”

She added: “I believe that if this land is disturbed it will cause a massive impact and expense on the drainage of Bamford Village.”

The committee discussed the contents of the pending report to be submitted to the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) by the end of the consultation period, 23 December. The report will include counter justifications in the Spatial Framework regarding the green belt, infrastructure, recreation (sports etc., walking, horse riding), health, air quality, carbon emissions, flood risk and water equality.

The committee was formed after the public meeting on Monday 21 November; a meeting so popular, people were turned away at the doors of Bamford Chapel.

Bamford Chapel holds approximately 300 people and those turned away were given a survey to log their objections and complaints which will be submitted with the committee's report.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Pat Sullivan, with a presentation about the Borough’s housing situation given by Councillor Jane Howard and Councillor Ian Duckworth spoke of the planning policy.

Mrs Shorrcoks also told the residents how she had written a personal letter to John Whittaker, the Chairman of Peel Group, asking him to withdraw the site from the GMSF and to donate the land to the people of Bamford, suggesting a country park to be named after himself.

Speaking of the public meeting, she said: “The meeting went very well despite the terrible weather. Everybody is absolutely appalled at the proposal. This is the only green space we have left. Everywhere else is owned by local farmers and is not accessible. It is a well-used site for recreational activity with football, cricket, tennis, walking and horse-riding.

“The site is most unsuitable for top of the range houses, having pylons and overhead electricity cables plus the land is very wet and full of underground springs – that is where Spring Bank gets its name. The whole proposal could not go through without them changing the character of the village and increasing the width of Norden Road or, dare I say it, building a by-pass.”

She continued: “The city moguls have no time for community sentiment – they are ruthless when it comes to something as big as the GMSF. We are just a mere drop in the ocean as far as they are concerned.

“Bamford is full and we don’t need any more housing.

“Brownfield sites are the answer and there are plenty of those around – take the tram to Manchester and see the derelict buildings and brownfield sites en route to Oldham. Let’s start smartening up those areas before they descend on a well-ordered village such as Bamford.

“If Rochdale Council isn’t careful, they will spoil the area and Bamford will lose its desirability.”

Members of the public can email their own objections direct to AGMA at:

gmsf@agma.gov.uk