Council makes place for 5,005 new homes
Controversial housing plan passed despite objections
PROTESTERS with placards outside the front door, fierce political debate on local sour points and a number of witty quips - the latest meeting of Rochdale full council had everything you would expect in local politics.
Walking up to Number One Riverside in the borough’s town centre, groups of protesters could be seen gathered around both entrances to the council building armed with signs saying ‘SAVE OUR GREENBELT’.
It was clear that the Places for Everyone plan is a hot topic for many in a borough with as much green space as Rochdale.
The majority of them had to wait outside as the council meeting could only hold 10 people due to the smaller capacity of the Hollingworth room on the first floor.
That was the first decision of the night to cause anger.
The second was actually approving the adoption of the Places for Everyone Plan. The proposal would see more than 165,000 homes built across Greater Manchester over the next 15 years.
The PFE allocations for Rochdale is 5,005, concisting of 1,200 homes at the Northern Gateway; 1,680 at Stakehill; 450 in Bamford and Norden; 125 in Castleton Sidings; 250 at Crimble Mill; 300 north of Smithy Bridge; 250 at Newhey Quarry; 200 for Roch Valley and 550 for
Trows Farm in Castleton.
For the Conservatives, there is enough brownfield land to fill the government quota - so Coun Ashley Dearnley told the council there is no need to build on the green belt.
Tory leader Coun John Taylor claimed the plights of campaigners against PFE have been ignored by the council and this was a dark day for Rochdale Council and the environment.
The Conservative leader said: “Despite the best efforts of the Conservative group and others this evening Rochdale council has voted for the totally unnecessary destruction of the greenbelt by approving the Places for Everyone plan.
“The plan is a disaster for our wards and in my view this marks a terrible day for local democracy and the environment alike.”
Lib Dem leader Coun Andy Kelly explained that Stockport Council pulled out of this plan and created their own plan based purely on brownfield sites.
He stressed that “it could be done, and that is what we should’ve done”.
Despite this, Stockport Council was used as the example by Labour members for why the PFE plan should be voted for.
Coun John Blundell pointed out how Stockport’s town hall bosses are now having to fork out millions in legal costs for refusing a development on greenbelt land - and still having to see it built anyway.
Coun Neil Emmott, leader of the Labour-run council, spoke about the history of the textile industry in Rochdale and that the jobs lost after its demise have never been recovered. He pointed out that this plan could create 20,000 new jobs, with the Atom Valley project being a key part of that.
He added: “This is an attempt to address that and bring prosperity to Rochdale again.”
Coun Liam O’rourke chipped in by saying this can help younger people get on the property ladder through the increase in