‘We shouldn’t trade-off green belt for business’
LABOUR’S shadow business secretary has suggested she may not support attempts by council leaders to earmark part of Greater Manchester’s green belt for new industrial space.
Salford and Eccles MP Rebecca Long-Bailey said she had ‘strong views’ about the development on green space, which she said was needed for the good of people’s mental health and air quality.
New businesses should only be earmarked for green belt in an ‘extreme’ situation if all other options had been fully explored, she added.
The MP was speaking to the M.E.N. at Labour’s party conference in Liverpool as Greater Manchester leaders continue to privately wrangle over the latest incarnation of the region’s contentious spatial framework, a document that is being rewritten at the demand of mayor Andy Burnham.
Tensions have arisen between councils – who in most cases believe it necessary to sacrifice protected land to grow their economy and provide housing – and the mayor’s office about how much of the green belt should be lost.
Mr Burnham’s office has been pushing town hall leaders to reduce their green belt development plans further than they have already.
Asked whether areas such as Rochdale or Oldham should earmark green belt for development in order to boost employment, Ms Long-Bailey said: “I haven’t seen the latest incarnation of where we’re up to on the green space but I know there are discussions on figures, shall we say.
“It should never be a trade-off between green space and business because they’re both equally as important as each other.
“We know the profound effect not having green spaces in our cities has on mental health so it’s really, really important to have those areas in Greater Manchester that people can go to and enjoy. And it also improves our air quality.
“Without those green spaces we’d be a heavily polluted city.”
The region needs a ‘careful and strategic plan’ on the issue, she said, but added there was more that could be done with existing derelict or under-used employment space instead of moving into green belt.
Ms Long-Bailey also revealed her plans for the revitalisation of Britain’s high streets, which include banning cash machine charges, free town centre Wifi, halting post office branch closures and radically reforming the business rates system.