Council Leader Richard Farnell talks about the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework consultation

Greater Manchester Spatial Framework

The consultation process which includes residents taking some of the most important decisions they will ever make for their family’s future has started.

I’ve talked previously about the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework and our desperate need for what it can deliver for Rochdale: thousands of homes and jobs.

The formal consultation on the first draft ran from last October to Monday, 16 January 2017. The borough’s residents have been making their views known, but there’s always room for more responses.Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

It’s important to stress that every submission will be considered by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority before a final plan is published for further public consultation.

As part of this ongoing process, the Council will review the consultation feedback we’ve received and make changes to the current proposals where necessary.

What we won’t do is simply ignore what our residents tell us about the plans.

Some early feedback shows that this initial consultation had over 20,000 Greater Manchester wide responses. This included over 9,000 letters, 8,000 emails and 2,500 via the consultation portal.

The responses even included some from concerned horses and dogs!

Some of the concerns included those around the use of brownfield/greenfield sites; infrastructure - roads and public transport.

The public can rest assured that all responses will be analysed with a report on the key issues brought back to the 10 local councils for consideration.

I said at the start of this blog that the decisions we make here today will impact on the lives of future generations.

The strategy will ensure enough new homes, businesses and jobs are provided across the region over the next 20 years to cater for our growing population.

The Greater Manchester Spatial Strategy identifies:

• The housing and employment land needed in Rochdale up to year 2035.
• The number of new jobs that will be created.
• Investment opportunities in health, education and transport services to help support local communities.
• How the local natural environment will be protected and improved.
• More specifically it will boost Rochdale's economy and create new jobs and opportunities.

The benefits to our borough are:

• 15,500 new homes built.
• Opportunities for new business development opportunities.
• 19,000 new jobs created.
• Improved transport links.

You can read more about the framework at:

Greater Manchester Spatial Strategy consultation:

http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/planning-and-building/local-planning-policy/the-local-plan/Pages/gm-spatial-framework.aspx

Councillor Richard Farnell
Leader
Rochdale Borough Council