Have your say on the protection of key natural habitats around Greater Manchester

The GMCA wants to ensure new homes and businesses closest to the South Pennine Moors have the right safeguards in place to avoid harm to these important habitats

Rochdale residents and businesses can now have their say on a consultation which will help to protect an important habitat site, the South Pennine Moors.

Places for Everyone is a comprehensive joint plan which identifies areas for new homes, jobs and infrastructure in the nine boroughs, while protecting environmental assets and guarding against the risk of unplanned development.

Earlier this year the Places for Everyone plan was adopted by Rochdale as well as other towns including Oldham, Bolton, Bury, Salford, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan.

To support the Places for Everyone plan, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), in partnership with the nine local authorities, is now seeking views on documents that will provide developers with clear advice and guidance on development proposals to ensure that the European-designated habitat site is protected.

The consultation will run for six weeks until Thursday 12 December. For more information and to have your say, visit www.gmconsult.org

The GMCA wants to ensure new homes and businesses closest to the South Pennine Moors, in the boroughs of Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside, have the right safeguards in place to avoid harm to these internationally important habitats.

Paul Dennett, city mayor of Salford and Greater Manchester lead for Places for Everyone, said: “Places for Everyone is our plan to improve employment opportunities for our communities, deliver the homes that Greater Manchester needs, revitalise our town centres, and rejuvenate our green spaces. It’s also our best defence against costly unplanned development.

“These documents will help us to ensure that, through Places for Everyone, the right safeguards are in place to protect our natural environment, including the most important habitats in and around the city region.

“This is your chance to get involved and help shape the future of sustainable development in Greater Manchester.”