A consultation document published by the Greater Manchester combined authority has stated that green belt land may be required to to deliver future growth in Greater Manchester.
The consultation considered strategic options for growth and considered the scale and distribution of housing across the conurbation over the next 20 years, identifying strategic land allocations for housing and key infrastructure requirements.
Sites which have already been identified for new homes are not sufficient to fully meet the housing needs.
There may be some potential to accommodate extra growth by increasing sites within the existing urban area, the consultation document states that: ''it is likely that a significant proportion of the additional supply would have to involve the development of land outside the existing urban area, and some of this may be in the green belt.''
It further added: ''it would only be appropriate to release sites within the green belt for employment floorspace or housing in exceptional circumstances. However, if there is no alternative, then the development of parts of the green belt may be preferable to losing other areas of open land that make a much more positive contribution to the identity, character and quality of place of Greater Manchester.''
