MAJOR commercial developments creating 25,000 jobs in Bury could be created as part of a development plan for Greater Manchester.

As part of the proposals, more than 12,000 new homes have been earmarked for the borough under the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

The move requires green belt land being made available to accommodate some of the developments, although town hall chiefs stress that brown field sites will be the first choice for building, and all new developments will be considered individually through the planning process.

If plans go ahead it, would mean a creation of a major employment site near Pilsworth on green belt land.

Nearly 500 hectares of green belt land is proposed to be released to the east of the M66 on a site known as the Northern Gateway.

It is believed that the site could create 17,000 jobs.

This is just one of the proposals being considered by Bury and the nine other Greater Manchester councils under the framework.

It is a strategic planning guide to meeting the region's employment and housing needs for the next 20 years and beyond.

Cllr Rishi Shori, leader of Bury Council said: "The potential economic benefits and employment opportunities on this site are a complete game changer.

"Bury has one of the highest out-commuting rates in Greater Manchester because of the lack of employment opportunities and this site will provide quality jobs that will reduce the need for our local workforce to out-commute.

"It will significantly improve the life chances of our residents, helping to address the inequalities that exist within the borough."

In addition to the land earmarked for employment, more than 12,000 new homes will be built in the borough, mainly on green belt land.

The main sites in Bury include 87 hectares on land around Elton Reservoir and to the east of Starling Road where there will be potential for 3,500 homes.

Land for 2,300 homes on 255 hectares of land around Simister Island to the south of the M62 extending eastwards from Prestwich towards the north of Middleton.

Another major site earmarked for homes is over 50 hectares of land to the north and south of Walshaw Road where there will be space for 1,250 homes.

Holcombe Brook will receive 100 new homes on 3.12 hectares to the south of the existing urban area in the village.

Other sites include 4.3 hectares by the existing residential development in the Seedfield area of Bury 60 homes on a 1.7 hectare site to the south of Bentley Lane in Bevis Lane.

Cllr Shori said: "In drawing up Bury's proposals, we have been at pains to avoid urban sprawl and to avoid damaging the borough’s environmental attractiveness.

"The proposed sites have been carefully assessed against important criteria, such as flood risk, and not all of the employment land or 12,000 homes will be built immediately.

“Individual planning applications will still have to be considered and approved by the council’s planning committee, and it will take many years for these to come forward."

The draft plan will be considered by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority on October 28 for approval to begin an eight-week consultation period from October 31 to December 23.

All stakeholders, including members of the public, are encouraged to have their say and views will be considered before a final draft is published in 2017 when another period of consultation will be held.

As part of the consultation, Bury Council will hold a drop in session at the Elizabethan Suite on Monday, November 21, from noon until 7pm where plans will be on show.

Cllr Sandra Walmsley, cabinet member for strategic housing and support services, said: "There clearly is a need to build more homes, including affordable homes, to meet the needs of a growing population that is living longer.

"The government's housing targets are a challenge and the only way that we can meet these it to provide new homes on green belt land."

When the plans were announced in August, a senior councillor, who wished to remain anonymous, said that people would be "horrified" by the proposals to build on green belt land.

Cllr Walmsley said: "We have consistently said that we want to prioritise the development of brownfield land and the council is working hard to get our borough’s vacant sites developed.

"However, the powers available to us to force landowners and developers to build on these sites is limited and the council is lobbying the government for powers to tackle those who fail to develop land within a reasonable timeframe."

GMCA asked developers to say what could potentially be built in a 'call for sites' project and developers submitted proposals for 70 sites across Bury.

This included around 500 hectares of green belt land, not all of this land has been proposed to be released.