Council bid to back out of housing scheme rejected

A council's bid to back out of a controversial plan to build thousands of new homes across Greater Manchester has been rejected by the government.

Councillors in Oldham, which is Labour-led but with no overall control, narrowly voted to withdraw from the Places for Everyone (PfE) housing scheme earlier this year over concerns about building on green belt land.

But the government has formally rejected their request, which housing minister Matthew Pennycook said had "no justification".

The council's Labour leadership welcomed the move, but Oldham Liberal Democrat Leader councillor Howard Sykes said the decision was a "betrayal of democracy".

A cross-party group of Liberal Democrat, Conservative and independent councillors had voted for the withdrawal from the scheme in February.

The move had to be signed off by the Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner because they had already voted to join in 2024.

Under the plan drawn up by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, more than 11,500 homes would be built on sites in Oldham.

In a letter to the council, Pennycook, responding on Rayner's behalf, said he could not approve the withdrawal "based on the information provided".

He said: "PfE is an example of authorities doing the right thing – adopting a robust local plan only a year ago, which reflects strong cooperation between authorities.

"Taking all of the above into account, and given that your letter does not set out a case for revocation, I see no justification to approve your request."

The minister said the government was looking for "universal local plan coverage as quickly as possible" from local authorities across the UK.

In Oldham, the PfE scheme will see green belt land in Beal Valley, Bottom Field Farm, Broadbent Moss, south of Coal Pit Lane, south of Rosary Road and other locations developed into residential and commercial areas.

Oldham Council's deputy Leader Elaine Taylor said: "We're grateful the government have seen through the reckless attempts made by the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives to put our green belt at risk."

Meanwhile Sykes said the rejection was a "betrayal that the people of Oldham Borough will not forget or forgive".

He said he feared PfE would see the council "forced to provide more land including green belt for development in the very near future".

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