The consultation runs from 21 January 2019 to 18 March 2019.

GMSF Consultation Drop in Events in Trafford

 There will be several consultation ‘drop in’ events in Trafford where you can find out more about the proposals and discuss them with Council Officers. There is no need to book an appointment. The events are being held at the following locations:

• All Saints Church, Hale Barns – 5th February 16:00-19:00
• Stretford Library – 11th February 16:00-19:00
• Carrington Business Park – 14th February 16:00-19:00
• Sale Library, Sale Waterside – 18th February 15:30-18:30
• Sale West Youth Centre – 19th February 16:00-19:00
• Urmston Library – 26th February 16:00-19:00
• Altrincham Library – 27th February 16:00-19:00

How to view and make comments on the GMSF

 The consultation is being hosted on www.gmconsult.org where you can access the relevant documents, including supporting topic papers and background information and give your responses to the proposals.

The draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework may also be viewed at all public libraries, Sale Waterside and Trafford Town Hall during normal opening hours. More information is available at www.trafford.gov.uk/libraries

The GMSF is about providing the right homes, in the right places for people across our City Region. It’s about creating jobs and improving infrastructure to ensure the future prosperity of Greater Manchester. It means that the 10 Greater Manchester councils can plan collectively to deal with cross boundary and strategic planning issues until 2037. Without the plan we will have less control over the future shape of Greater Manchester.

The first complete draft of the GMSF was published in October 2016, to which a large number of comments were received on the plans. The main issue raised was about proposed development allocations on land currently within the Green Belt.

This revised version (January 2019) aims to make the most of Greater Manchester’s brownfield sites first and reduce the impact on Green Belt, which for example in Trafford will mean no development on Green Belt land in Flixton.  It means that enough land has been identified in Trafford for the following:

• Approximately 20,500 new homes
• Just over 200,000 sq m of office accommodation
• Around 690,000 sq m of industry and warehousing

Across Greater Manchester as a whole there will be a real focus on the delivery of affordable housing with the aim of delivering at least 50,000 new affordable homes. A priority for Trafford Council is to build high quality homes to meet housing need in Trafford.

Once adopted, the GMSF will become part of the statutory development plan for each of the 10 Greater Manchester authorities, including Trafford. However, the GMSF will not cover everything and Trafford will still need to produce a Local Plan which will provide further detail to cover local issues and demonstrate how the framework will be delivered on the ground.