Lib Dems to make a second bid to pull out of development

A SECOND bid will be made to pull Stockport out of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

The borough’s Liberal Democrat party will table a motion at this week’s full council meeting calling for a withdrawal from the home building plan.

The spatial framework seeks to build houses over the next 20 years with 19,300 the target for Stockport.

But the controversial part of the plan is that 12,100 are earmarked for sites within the green belt.

Lib Dem councillor Mark Hunter proposed a motion at December’s full council meeting to pull Stockport out but it was voted down.

His party will now try again during the meeting on Thursday, January 19.

Coun Hunter said: “The spatial framework is a topdown plan that will see thousands of houses built on the greenbelt with no plan to deal with the problems it will cause. It is very clear that the people of Stockport disagree with the proposals.

“The right approach is to pull out and start work on a plan for Stockport, with Stockport people involved from day one.”

The Liberal Democrats want to develop a 15-year local plan, as some other councils are doing.