THE council will consider delivering its own housing plan to prevent overdevelopment at a meeting tonight.

All councillors will vote on the motion for Bolton to deliver a five-year housing supply plan which was submitted by opposition councillor Zoe-Kirk Robinson.

Politicians have been quarrelling over housing plans as several major developments initially refused by the local authority were overturned by the government.

This comes as the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework may be delayed for a fifth time, which some Conservatives, including MP Chris Green, say is helping developers win appeals.

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The motion seeks to task a policy development group with the creation of a Bolton Housing Plan to deliver a viable five-year supply for the borough to cover the period until the Spatial Framework is implemented.

The city-region’s delayed plan is supposed to set out land allocation for housing and employment for the next 20 years.

The motion states: “This delay is causing continuous harm to the Council's ability to properly administer urban planning, as well as to fight off overdevelopment on the Green Belt.”

The Spatial Framework was supposed to supersede the previous housing plan which was last created in 2011.

Since then, several controversial developments on “protected open space” were successfully appealed with planning inspectors citing the lack of a five-year supply of housing land.

This includes an application for 129 homes at Bowlands Hey where an appealed application for an additional 174 homes will be determined at a public inquiry in January.

During the meeting, the council leader will be asked to put pressure on Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and mayor Andy Burnham to increase the number of parking spaces at Bolton's railway stations.

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Cllr Stephen Pickup, who has lobbied for improved facilities at Horwich Parkway and Blackrod railway stations, will submit the question at tonight’s meeting. He has met with TfGM officers to discuss the matter.

He said: “Improvements have taken place at both stations over the last few years, including the provision of disabled access at Blackrod and a car park extension at Horwich Parkway, as well as other enhancements at both stations. However, both car parks still do not meet the demand and are full well before 8am on a weekday.”

The Horwich and Blackrod councillor has also submitted a motion to oppose government attempts to take decisions regarding fracking out of local authorities’ hands.

His fellow ward councillor has submitted a motion calling on the government to increase funding for road improvements.

Other motions include working with other Greater Manchester boroughs to create a new "Urban Greenheart" and urging the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to divest from fossil fuel companies.

There will also be two motions about Brexit, with one calling to support a “People’s Vote” while the other opposes a second referendum.