23 September 2021
Oldham & Saddleworth Green Party argues for more local action on climate change, stopping the destruction of wildlife habitats and affordable secure homes for all
Oldham Council is preparing a new Local Plan. The plan is about Oldham’s future development - what kind of jobs, businesses, homes, town centres, community facilities, transport links, how much green open space, natural environment and clean air. It will be used to decide what is built where and whether planning applications go ahead.
Oldham & Saddleworth Green Party has sent in its views on the latest plan document which sets out what the council sees as the issues for Oldham and the options for tackling them (1). We supported the options that tackled climate change, air pollution, housing, social and health inequalities, improved our natural environment, town centre and communities, and maintained community say in planning.
We argued that the plan needed strengthening in key ways.
The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is crystal clear - there is a very small window of opportunity to prevent further, irreversible climate breakdown. We need urgent ambitious action at local level now. We welcome the council’s zero carbon targets. To turn these into reality, action on climate change must be central to all areas of planning and development in Oldham such as housing, economic development, town centre transformation, transport, tourism.
For example – it’s about
The biodiversity crisis is about the ongoing losses to all wildlife and plants, not just the limited number of ‘priority species’ protected in law. 41% of UK wildlife species have been depleted by pollution, habitat loss and degradation (2).
Biodiversity thrives where there are complex, long established habitats, so preventing habitat destruction is essential. Offsetting, recreating the habitat elsewhere, must be a very last resort, not a ready alternative to allow developments to go ahead. Long term evidence from UK and abroad is showing that offsetting is not working.
Higher targets for homes at social housing rents
There is a major, urgent need for homes at social housing rents offering security and affordability. As well as the current social housing waiting list there are 1000s of people struggling in the private sector, living with relatives or friends without adequate space or facilities of their own. We need higher targets in the plan. Oldham Council must also continue to lobby for national changes to increase the building of social housing for rent.
Greater protection for private tenants
High rents, disrepair and lack of security are key issues for the private tenants. Licensing of landlords across the borough is needed, more publicity and access to advice and information about tenants rights and the tenancy relations service. At national level the council should be pushing for a national licensing scheme, greater security for tenants and rent controls.
Stop the increase in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO’s)
Rather than welcoming HMOs as part of the housing mix, we need to discourage them as not fit homes. Living in one room, sharing facilities with no say in who you are sharing with, is not good for people’s health and well being, especially in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. HMO developments are too often about maximising income and profit for the developers and landlords not about providing decent homes. We need self contained homes for single people. (3)
1) Oldham Local Plan review Issues and Options document issues and options
2) The National Biodiversity Network’s State of Nature Report https://nbn.org.uk/stateofnature2019/reports/
3) Read more about our views on HMO's at not fit homes
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