Controversial housing plan 'left in uncertainty'

A Greater Manchester town has been "left in uncertainty" since voting to withdraw from a controversial housing scheme, councillors have said.

Oldham councillors claim they have heard nothing but "deafening silence" from the government and the mayor of Greater Manchester since voting to leave Places for Everyone (PfE) last month.

The housing scheme aims to bring tens of thousands of new homes to nine of the ten Greater Manchester boroughs, but fears the plans will destroy green belt land has sparked fierce opposition from councillors outside the Labour group.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority said the mayor had been in touch with Oldham through the council's Labour leader Arooj Shah.

A narrow vote on 12 February saw the council executives compelled to write to Secretary of State Angela Rayner, who would need to approve Oldham's exit from the agreement.

At the time, mayor and PfE torch-bearer Andy Burnham offered to "reach out to opposition leaders" and "find compromise".

But Liberal Democrat and independent leaders confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that they had heard "absolutely nothing".

Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani, Oldham's deputy opposition leader, said: "Deafening silence. No-one's reached out to us."

He added: "It's almost as though they're not taking it very seriously. They know we're ready to have a conversation and they have shown no interest whatsoever."

Opposition councillors want to negotiate the use of green belt land.

Supporters of PfE have always maintained the scheme was "sacrificing a small amount of green belt land in order to protect the rest".

But Mr Al-Hamdani is not convinced, noting the Labour government's increased housing targets and changes to how green belt land is designated.

"We need houses. But we need houses for social rent in places where there is the infrastructure to cope with it."

Greater Manchester Combined Authority argued the mayor had been in touch with Oldham through the council's Labour leader Arooj Shah.

A spokesperson said: "The Places for Everyone plan has been agreed by the nine councils and is part of their adopted development strategy.

"As a result, it cannot be changed by the mayor or by any of the nine councils.

"While the plan cannot be changed, the mayor has been engaging with council leaders, including in Oldham, to discuss maximising the success of our brownfield-first approach and bringing forward land for development."

The spokesperson also stressed that by working together, the nine districts had "more certainty" in planning policy, acting as "the best line of defence against costly, unplanned development".

This month, Angela Rayner hinted she "wanted Oldham to be a part" of PfE, and said: "I don't think that they'll be pulling out of the plan."

But in the intervening weeks, no official decision has been communicated to the council.

Councillor Howard Sykes, Lib Dem leader and vocal opponent of PfE said: "I think it's disappointing that the MP responsible has hinted what her response will be but hasn't responded officially."

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has been approached for comment.

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