City Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett has called on the government to join the fight against a major development between Monton and Worsley.
Salford City Council rejected an application by Peel to build 600 houses on land at Broadoak and the decision was upheld by a planning inquiry.
But a recent High Court judgement relating to a similar case in Cheshire has thrown that decision into doubt and weakened national protection on green space.
Now City Mayor Paul Dennett has written to the government urging them to help local councils protect valuable green spaces by urgently revising national planning policy.
Mayor Dennett said: “The court judgement means that policies to protect local green spaces – the policies Salford City Council relied on in rejecting this inappropriate development – now do not have the force they should under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
“This has implications for every council in the country and risks much of our green and pleasant land disappearing under building projects.
“I’ve written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government urging him to review the NPPF urgently to make sure local councils have the power they need to protect valuable green spaces. Our main reason for refusing these 600 homes was to preserve much valued open space between Monton and Worsley but that has been undermined by this court ruling. However Salford City Council will defend its position when the Broadoak inquiry is re-run.”
Councillor Derek Antrobus, lead member for planning and sustainable development added: “The Worsley Greenway policy protects the land because of its views and the way it offers a green corridor between old industrial towns.
“It is outrageous that the Secretary of State has now caved in to a legal challenge which effectively says it is potential housing land. The whole point of this policy – produced through localism and community backing – is that this land should not be up for grabs.
“Salford is not against development. We have been proactive in securing a housing boom. But this land is too valuable for the community to lose. We will fight our corner. But as long as current policy is in place, the land is under threat.”
