Bury approves Places for Everyone development plan

Places for Everyone, Greater Manchester’s long-term plan for jobs, new homes and sustainable growth, was approved by Bury Council last night.

The plan, which covers nine of the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester, has been through a long period of public consultations and assessments by planning experts. It now has been adopted by each council for approval.

Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, leader of the council, said: “This is a far-reaching plan, which sets out where the new homes we need will be built, where our businesses will locate and create jobs for our residents, and what infrastructure is needed to support these developments.

“Without a plan, developers would be free to do what they want, and cherry pick their favourite sites with no obligation to provide that infrastructure.

“We are using all the available brownfield land we have to build homes, but it has been necessary to allocate a minimal amount of Green Belt to meet our housing targets. Crucially, over half of our entire borough will still be classified as Green Belt. Having a plan for Greater Manchester, however, has allowed us to give neighbouring boroughs a considerable portion of our housing allocation.”

He added: “Places for Everyone is about more than housing; it is vital for employment. The Northern Gateway site within the wider Atom Valley corridor is a real game changer for Bury and the north of Manchester, with the potential to bring many thousands of good quality jobs to our borough.

“Allied to our local plans to regenerate our town centres, this plan sets a course for Bury’s future prosperity.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 21 March 2024.