WE need a plan that delivers for Bury. There has been a lot of interest in the Places for Everyone plan. Understandably, there have been concerns about whether this is right for the borough.

No-one denies we need more homes and jobs in Bury. When you look at the current housing crisis nationally, it is clear part of the answer is more housing. On affordability alone, we know there are huge pressures within parts of Bury and many areas are simply out of reach for a whole generation of residents.

In the council’s recent analysis on housing need, it shows a police officer in a single earner household must stump up 40 per cent of their salary on average rents in Bury and for a minimum wage key worker, this would rise to 50 per cent. Imagine having to spend half your income just to rent a roof over your head.

This housing crisis is a generational failure to take the proper action required. It has allowed house prices and rents to sky-rocket way above wages, meaning many residents are seeing their living standards squeezed and their productivity decline. If we don’t deal with the housing crisis by delivering more homes, our economic recovery and long-term future will continue to suffer. The Places for Everyone plan is part of how we do that.

The same is true for jobs. If we allow the dismantling of good quality employment to continue into a growing gig-economy, with the lowest wages and fewer rights and protections, our economic prospects for the future will be dire. At the heart of this plan is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver 20,000 new jobs through the Northern Gateway site, which crosses both Bury and Rochdale. This will focus on delivering an advanced manufacturing park, attracting new industries and linking in with our strong higher education offer. We should jump at the chance to deliver this right in the heart of our borough.

We also need to get the right infrastructure in place to manage the delivery of these aims. Without this, these plans will not work. The plan contains an infrastructure guarantee. If the infrastructure is not delivered, the housing and industry won’t be allowed to happen.

This is the power of having a plan. The same is true for upholding ambitious environmental standards to tackle Climate Emergency. By establishing high standards, we can tip the scales in our favour and away from the developers. Without a plan, none of this can happen.