Consultation starts on Bury’s core strategy
The potential use of greenbelt land for employment purposes forms part of Bury Council's core strategy for the development of the borough over the next 15 years.
Key themes promoted by the council include high quality sustainable development, support for the local economy and new housing and community support.
The strategy looks to "promote sustainable development by encouraging the re-use of previously-developed, brownfield sites".
However, it identifies a need for between 123 and 153 acres of land for employment development, including the development of greenbelt land at Gin Hall for employment purposes "if there are very special circumstances to justify it".
Other areas where employment development will be focused include sites in and around Bury town centre, land between Dumers Lane and Bury Road in Radcliffe, at Pilsworth and in and around Prestwich town centre.
Other policies aim to create thriving town centres by increasing activity during the day and in the evening by encouraging more family attractions and leisure uses including restaurants.
The revised strategy includes a target of building 400 new homes each year and indicates that this will be developed largely within east Bury and Radcliffe.
It sets out requirements for housing developers to provide a percentage of their new houses at an affordable price. It also includes a policy that sets out how planning applications for new gypsy and traveller sites will be dealt with.
In order to achieve its development targets, the core strategy no longer includes protection of land that sits outside the greenbelt but which is currently designated as "other protected open land".
The strategy also includes a series of Township Frameworks which draw out what the strategy means for each of the borough's six townships covering Ramsbottom, Tottington & North Manor; Bury West; Bury East; Radcliffe; Whitefield & Unsworth; and Prestwich.
Consultation on the publication version of the core strategy runs until 13 September 2013.
The strategy and its supporting evidence can be viewed or downloaded at www.bury.gov.uk/corestrategy.
The documents can also be viewed at the Planning Division reception (Ground Floor, 3 Knowsley Place, Duke Street, Bury) between 8.45am and 4pm (Monday-Friday), Bury Town Hall from 8.45am to 5pm (Monday-Friday) and at selected public libraries during their normal opening hours.