Campaigners fighting to protect greenbelt throughout Shaw and Crompton and the wider Oldham community are digging in for the long haul.
Save Shaw Greenbelt supporters were prominent in the mass protest walk to Tandle Hill on Sunday, March 3.
“This was a bigger turnout, opposing spatial framework two than it was for the first set of plans,” said Save Shaw Greenbelt spokesman Steve Lord.
“It shows the passion from people in Shaw and Royton and Milnrow, to spend four hours in the wind and rain on a Sunday morning just to get a message to Oldham Council and their planning team.
“It was a brilliant flag waving exercise. Despite not listening to us during the flimsy consultation meetings, they cannot ignore this show of opposition for their plans which are dangerous and disproportionate.
“If we can get 4,000 on a wet and windy March morning, let’s hope we can get 40,000 for another show of strength and dissatisfaction in Manchester city centre.”
The Shaw group is encouraging everyone to submit objections either online or post by the March 18 deadline.
“It’s vital that we keep up the momentum, and voice our objections this time around,” said Lord.
“I’m hoping that across Manchester we see more than the 27,000 objections posted for the first framework.
“That would illustrate how wrong they keep getting things. Shaw group are now planning money-raising events, more media releases and more embracing of groups who can help our cause, like the CPRE.
“We’re also on the lookout for a friendly QC or barrister, and a retired town planner who might help us when the examinations in public start in a few years’ time.
“We are preparing for a long, long fight.”