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Draft Local Plan: Annex E

Annex E: Green Belt changes and suggested development sites 

  1. This plan proposes the removal of five areas of land from the green belt to provide sites for development, one for employment use and four for housing. It also proposes the inclusion of some additional land within the Green Belt. 

Port Salford

  1. A large amount of infrastructure investment is taking place as part of the permitted Port Salford proposal. The current planning permission allows for around 155,000m2 of employment floorspace on land between the Manchester Ship Canal and the A57 Liverpool Road, with one unit having been completed and occupied. Major road improvements are currently under construction, including a new bridge across the Manchester Ship Canal, and the permitted scheme also includes the provision of a rail spur into the site from the main Manchester-Liverpool line and provision of new wharves on the canal. The Manchester Ship Canal will provide a direct link from this new port facility to the Port of Liverpool, which has seen the construction of the new Liverpool Two facility that is capable of accommodating ‘post-Panamax’ container ships. 
  1. Once this new infrastructure has been completed, it will result in Port Salford being the most sustainable large new employment site in Greater Manchester, in terms of its ability to facilitate a significant increase in the proportion of goods that are moved by rail and water rather than by road. Although a series of new employment sites have been identified across Greater Manchester, none of them has the same potential to move goods by both rail and water, and indeed most are unlikely to be able to utilise either and will be wholly or largely reliant on road-based transport. 
  1. Given the relative merits of the Port Salford site once the rail, water and road infrastructure has been completed, it is considered that there is an argument for releasing additional land in this area so as to enable more goods to be moved sustainably and to maximise the use of the new rail and water-based infrastructure. This would also have the benefit of providing additional employment opportunities in this part of Salford and Greater Manchester. There are some relatively small-scale opportunities on land to the west of the permitted site, extending towards Boysnope Wharf, which are already beginning to be utilised. However, the only way in which a major increase in employment land supply could be delivered in this location would be to release some land from the Green Belt. This plan proposes the release of land to the north and west of Barton Aerodrome, which would enable the provision of around a further 320,000m2 of floorspace, whilst retaining Green Belt separation between the site and both Irlam to the west and Barton/Winton to the east. 

Housing allocations 

  1. As part of the Local Plan process, various Green Belt sites have been suggested by consultees as having potential for housing development. Each of these sites has been assessed for its suitability and sustainability, and these assessments have been published (both in the form of detailed individual site assessments, and as part of the sustainability appraisal accompanying this draft plan). The assessments show that there would be advantages and disadvantages associated with releasing any of the sites for housing development. All of them share the benefit of increasing the housing supply, but also the problem of resulting in the loss of Green Belt land. 
  1. The city council has had regard to these assessments in identifying the four sites that are proposed in this plan to be removed from the Green Belt so that they can be used to provide new housing. The table below lists all of the Green Belt sites that have been considered for housing and the primary reasons why they have or have not been included within this plan, having regard to the overall national policy requirement of minimising the loss of Green Belt land. In many cases, the potential impacts on the Green Belt, and its role in separating settlements, is not considered to be outweighed by any potential benefits of development. Consequently, in accordance with national planning policy, there are not exceptional circumstances to justify the release of those sites for housing. 
  1. Some areas of land currently outside the Green Belt were proposed by some people for inclusion within the Green Belt, and by others for housing development. These sites have been subject to a similar assessment process as the Green Belt sites described above, and are also included in the table below. 
Local Plan reference Site assessment reference Green Belt assessment reference Location Proposal and reasoning
Eccles
N/A EC015 SA29
SA30		 Land north of Barton Aerodrome Retain as Green Belt – If the Port Salford expansion is supported then the site’s Green Belt function will become even more important, providing separation between the expanded Port Salford and Brookhouse.
Irlam and Cadishead
H3/4 IC010
IC011
IC012
IC024		 SA33
SA34		 Western Cadishead and Irlam Remove from Green Belt and allocate for housing – The site offers the only opportunity in Salford to deliver a major new area of housing close to a direct rail connection (Irlam station) to the City Centre. It also benefits from being close to an existing local centre and major areas of existing (Northbank, Trafford Park, Trafford Centre) and proposed (Port Salford) employment. It is located within the Western Gateway, which is identified as a strategic growth location in the draft Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.
N/A IC014 SA32 Land east of Irlam Retain as Green Belt – If the Port Salford expansion is supported then the site’s Green Belt function will become even more important, providing separation between the expanded Port Salford and Irlam. This will help to maintain the separate identifies of Irlam and Eccles.
N/A IC021 SA-BA02 Land north of the M62 at Chat Moss Retain as Green Belt – Chat Moss has been identified as one of the most strategically important pieces of green infrastructure in Greater Manchester, forming part of the wider lowland wetlands extending into Wigan and Warrington. The restoration of Chat Moss, and improvements in public access to it, are key priorities in the Local Plan.
N/A IC023 SA33 Land at Sunningdale Drive Retain as Green Belt – The location immediately adjacent to the motorway raises concerns over air and noise pollution, and it is not clear that these could satisfactorily be mitigated.
Little Hulton and Walkden
N/A LW017 SA06 Land east of Linnyshaw Retain as Green Belt – These three sites, individually and collectively, have a key role in separating Walkden from Swinton to the east and Worsley to the south. They are identified as having strong Green Belt functions in the Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment, including in preventing the merging of neighbouring settlements.
N/A LW028 SA14 Land south of A6 and north of Ellesmere Golf Course
N/A LW029 SA14 Ellesmere Golf Course
N/A N/A SA05 Land south of Wharton Lane Add to the Green Belt – The land forms part of the Cutacre Country Park, and so will be kept permanently open. Similar land to the west in Bolton is already in the Green Belt, and its inclusion would lead to a more logical and consistent Green Belt boundary. The Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment identifies it as having a strong role in preventing urban sprawl.
N/A N/A SA08 Wharton playing fields Add to the Green Belt – The land is playing fields and so will be kept permanently open. Land immediately to the west is already designated as Green Belt, as is a small band of land within Salford immediately to the south along the railway line, and the inclusion of this site would lead to a more logical and consistent Green Belt boundary. The Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment states that it contributes towards checking the unrestricted sprawl of Little Hulton to the south.
Swinton
N/A SW005 SA10 Land west of new St Ambrose Barlow High School Retain as Green Belt – The Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment identifies the two sites as performing moderate roles in terms of checking urban sprawl and maintaining the separation of settlements. They form part of the wider collection of sites that maintain the separation of Swinton, Walkden, Clifton and Kearsley, the others of which are also proposed for retention within the Green Belt.
N/A SW006 SA10 Land north of new St Ambrose Barlow High School
N/A SW007 SA09
(small part in SA10)		 Land north of Wardley Retain as Green Belt – These two sites have a significant role in maintaining the separation between Swinton and Clifton, providing an important visual gap, as identified in the Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment
N/A SW008 SA09 Land north west of Little Moss Lane
N/A SW009 BT68 Land at Moss Colliery Road Retain as Green Belt – The Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment identifies these two sites as forming part of a larger area of land with strong Green Belt functions, helping to check the unrestricted sprawl of Clifton and maintaining separation between Clifton, Swinton and Walkden.
N/A SW010 BT68 Land west of Collegiate Way
N/A SW022 SA04 Land north of M60 junction 16 Retain as Green Belt – Access to the site is highly problematic given the proximity to the motorway junction, and could only realistically be provided by removing part of Salford’s only area of ancient woodland, which is afforded very strong protection in national planning policy.
Worsley and Boothstown
GI5/5 WB001 SA22 Broadoak North Add to the Green Belt and designate as local green space – These individual parts of the West Salford Greenway are demonstrably special to the adjacent communities, but the area has a wider strategic significance in terms of the contribution it makes to the character of West Salford, including through some distinctive views. The Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment identifies the northern parts as having a strong role in terms of protecting the setting and special character of historic settlements, and the southern part for having a strong sense of openness. All parts are identified as having a moderate role in preventing urban sprawl and protecting the countryside from encroachment. This collection of characteristics emphasises the importance of strengthening the protection of the Greenway.
GI5/5 WB002 SA24 Broadoak South
GI5/5 WB003 SA19 Land at Beesley Green
GI5/5 WB004 SA19 Land at Crossfield Drive
H3/15 WB005 SA18 Hazelhurst Farm Remove from Green Belt and allocate for housing – The Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment identifies the site as having a strong sense of openness, and a moderate role in preventing sprawl and preventing the further coalescence of Swinton and Worsley. However, the site is separated from other parts of the Green Belt by the M60 motorway and the A580, and benefits from a location next to the Leigh-Salford-Manchester busway. It is considered that development on most of the site would have less impact on Green Belt functions and the character of settlements than other Green Belt sites in the city, with retention of the woods maintaining some green buffer.
H3/2 WB007 WG101 Land west of Boothstown Remove from Green Belt and allocate for housing – The site forms part of a much larger site extending into Wigan. This wider site is identified in the Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment as having a strong role in preventing urban sprawl, and moderate roles in preventing the coalescence of Tyldesley/Astley and Bootstown/ Ellenbrook and protecting the countryside from encroachment. However, it is considered that there is potential for this part of the East Lancashire Road corridor to make a significant contribute to growth in Greater Manchester, provided that improved public transport can be delivered, and this forms part of the strategy in the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.
H3/1 WB011 SA23 Booth’s Bank Farm Remove from Green Belt and allocate for housing – A significant part of the site is occupied by substantial buildings, and when coupled with the location immediately on the eastern edge of the main area of Boothstown, it would be possible to develop the site with only a modest impact on the rest of the Green Belt.
H3/1 WB018 SA23 Land east of Boothstown Remove from Green Belt and allocate for housing – This is undoubtedly an important area of Green Belt, as recognised in the Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment, having strong roles in terms of preventing urban sprawl, providing a critical gap between Boothstown and Worsley, and safeguarding the countryside. However, it also offers probably the best opportunity in Salford, and one of the best in Greater Manchester, to deliver very high value homes that would enable the city to attract and retain the most highly skilled workers that are essential for supporting economic growth. Although it is a fine balance, these benefits are considered to outweigh the negative impacts, and the allocation of the RHS Garden Bridgewater immediately to the east would help to ensure that the aforementioned Green Belt functions are maintained to a significant degree in the long-term.
N/A WB012 N/A Land at 278 Leigh Road Retain as Green Belt – The site would extend built development into an area of Green Belt that has a number of strong roles, including preventing urban sprawl, and providing separation between Boothstown, Ellenbrook and Worsley.
CT3/2 WB013 SA23 Worsley New Hall Retain as Green Belt and allocate for the RHS Garden Bridgewater – This is part of the agreed location for the Royal Horticultural Society’s fifth garden, and so will not be available for housing development.
N/A WB014 SA20 Land at junction of Walkden Road and A580 Retain as Green Belt – The Greater Manchester Green Belt assessment identifies this area of Green Belt as having a number of strong roles, including preventing urban sprawl, providing separation between Boothstown, Ellenbrook and Worsley, and protecting the setting of historic settlements.
H3/16 WB015 SA19 Land north of Lumber Lane Allocate for housing – This site is somewhat separated from the other parts of the West Salford Greenway, and the justification for including it within the Green Belt and/or designating it as local green space is more limited. Consequently, given the protection of other sites, it provides the potential to increase the housing land supply in this part of the city.

Draft Local Plan chapters

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