Opposition to the GMSF and the Threat to our Towns
Feelings are running strong in Shaw and the surrounding areas
Shaw lies between Oldham and Rochdale as a consequence of its position it sits on the edge of the Green Belt.
According to the NPPF, there are five stated purposes of including land within the Green Belt
Once an area of land has been defined as green belt, the stated opportunities and benefits include:
It breaks every protection afforded to us by Green Belt.
This massive unprecedented house building scheme will make the quality of life in Shaw intolerable.
Currently Shaw & Crompton has a population of 21,065 people.
The GMCA wants to increase that by 12,000 new residents who will create.
Now take into account the fact that the neighbouring town of Royton will also have an additional 12,000 new residents.
"Aspirational Homes"
The houses proposed for areas 1,2 and 3 will be "Aspirational Houses" better known as Executive Homes.
"Affordable Houses"
We recognize the fact that we need more affordable housing in Oldham but we think that there is a loop hole that is being exploited by developers.
The Government Definition of an affordable house is capped at £450,000 in Greater London and £250,000 across the rest of England.
We would suggest that this type of housing is not affordable when you look at the average local salary.
Average House Prices in Shaw
Terraced properties sold for an average of £101,191, with detached properties fetching £270,453 in Shaw.
Lets say that these houses will cost £250,000 and we have a 10% deposit. The mortgage will be on £225,000 the salary required to borrow this would be £75,000 a year. In 2016 the average pay in Oldham was £19,497.
Council Tax
These houses will fall within the highest Council Tax Bands in Oldham. Band G £2,793.77 or Band H £3,352.52. This is obviously a consideration taken seriously by the council. Higher Band = Higher Council Tax Receipts.
The GMCA held a public consultation in 2016 member's of the public were invited to comment or OBJECT to the GMSF plan.
The councils did very little to publicize this consultation.
To quote the head of OMBC's planning department, " we are under no statutory obligation to inform anyone about the GMSF plan". Not a very open consultation then!
However despite their best efforts to hide the truth from the public well over 20,000 people raised OBJECTIONS against the GMSF.
The Government has stated publicly that there should be no building on Greenbelt land until all Brownfield sites have been built upon.
Only in EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES can a Council build on Greenbelt land.
The GMSF does not qualify as EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
However the GMCA have the power to remove the designated areas from Greenbelt protection.
This would be the worst form of betrayal. The GMCA would essentially be selling the people of Shaw for their own political agenda.
Tandle Hill- The Three Thousand
2nd January 2017 over three thousand people from Shaw, Royton, Chadderton, Middleton and Slattocks took part in a protest walk to the the top of Tandle Hill in Royton.