A call to pull Rochdale green belt sites from the region’s housing masterplan has been rejected after mooted changes to the planning system were dismissed as ‘cynical’ government electioneering. The Conservatives tabled a motion at a full council meeting urging the authority to remove all greenbelt sites from the Places for Everyone (PfE) blueprint in light of Michael Gove’s recent statement signalling his intention to scrap housing targets.
Coun John Taylor told the members it was an ‘opportunity for change’ that the council ‘ought to grasp with two hands’ on behalf of the people of Rochdale. "It’s an opportunity for us to deliver a strategic plan that we can all support as well as localised decision making retained by this council and, most importantly, with the voice of residents included too,” he said.
“If you believe in the principle of brownfield first you should support this motion.” The Tory group leader said the government had ‘listened’ and would now scrap mandatory housing targets, the 20pc ‘buffer zone’ and provide ‘transitional arrangements’ for plans at an advanced stage such as PfE.
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But Labour pushed back on the grounds Mr Gove’s statement changed nothing in terms of policy or legislation - and merely kicked the can down the road to the other side of the next general election. Coun John Blundell, cabinet member for economy and regeneration, said it was ‘outrageous’ that Mr Gove had ‘blatantly called for a two-year review of local plans and development plans given that date would be just after the next general election’.
