Oldham's bid to pull out from the contentious 'Places for Everyone' (PfE) housing strategy has been rebuffed by the government. A statement released on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government website asserted that there was 'no justification' for the borough's exit from PfE.
Earlier in the year, opposition councillors narrowly won a vote to secede from PfE, which proposes tens of thousands of new homes across nine Greater Manchester boroughs, with Oldham earmarking space for 11,500 of those homes.
The development plan triggered concerns over potential greenbelt losses, leading 31 out of 60 councillors to call for an exit during a special council meeting on February 12.
Since Oldham had already committed to join PfE in 2024, withdrawing required sanctioning from Angela Rayner, the Secretary of State for housing.
Housing minister Matthey Pennycook, representing the department, wrote on Tuesday: "On the basis of the information you have provided, I have determined not to use the Secretary of State's discretionary powers to approve your requested revocation of Oldham's sections of PfE. ..
"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 across the plan area, including cross-boundary allocations such as the Stakehill site that Oldham shares with a neighbouring authority.
"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 º£½ÇÊÓƵ government aims to implement universal local plan coverage as soon as possible, requiring local authorities to establish planning policies.
The PfE plan involves the development of greenbelt land in various locations, including Beal Valley, Bottom Field Farm, and Broadbent Moss, into residential and commercial areas.
In addition to PfE, Oldham council is working on a complementary local plan that will outline the borough's planning priorities beyond the current scheme, potentially including measures to protect green spaces.
