The next phase of the Places for Everyone Plan is for the GMCA to consult on the multitude of Main Modifications being made to the plan following the Examination in Public, which has just concluded.  The Planning Inspectors have confirmed to the GMCA that they are satisfied that the proposed main modifications (set out in PMM6/GMCA12.3.3) are necessary to make the Plan sound and legally compliant.

The formal process requires the Executive/Cabinet Committees of each participating District to approve the commencement of the consultation.

The Executive/Cabinet Committees are responsible for all key decisions and the strategic management of services in their Authority.  You can find out more about the Trafford Executive here.

Save Greater Manchester’s Green Belt Group has written an Open Letter to all Councillors in the participating Districts to explain our concerns about the plan, providing factual information about:

• the District data which shows why Green Belt release is unnecessary anywhere in Greater Manchester
• why it is a discriminatory plan that has removed the Affordable Housing Targets from policy
• the huge impact on carbon emissions and climate mitigation opportunities, including the lack of ecological evidence
• the intention to unnecessarily release Green Belt on the day the plan is approved (meaning Brownfield first is no longer the aim)
• what the Census 2021 data tells us (really demonstrating that the proposed level of growth is excessive).

The effect on local residents as a consequence of the New Carrington Allocation is exacerbated by the following:

• no sustainable freight transport options have even been proposed, despite the proximity of the Manchester Ship Canal and a former railway line, this will lead to thousands of additional HGVs on local roads!  
• no committed funding for sustainable passenger transport in an area that is currently very poorly served
• the significant surge in air, noise, light, vibration and water pollution caused by the huge increase in traffic, including HGVs
• the concerns raised by the Health and Safety Executive about the risks related to the COMAH zones in the area
• the challenges relating to school places (which are already a red risk for Trafford), along with GP and dental surgeries (which are also struggling to meet current demand)
• the impact for both current and future residents as a consequence of huge levels of surface water flooding that is currently captured by the moss
• the drainage required for the development (which will impact the whole area, meaning that the 10 current SSSIs/SBIs here could be severely affected – decimating populations of over 25 species of red listed birds and endangered wildlife)
• the viability of the site is marginal (which means that developers are likely to demand reductions in their contributions and the public purse will need to fund much more of the necessary infrastructure requirements).  

For information, we developed our own assessment of the public interest test relating to this development in our recent blog.