THE Greater Manchester Spatial Framework has been approved for consultation.

It was approved at a joint Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) executive board meeting at Trafford Town Hall, on Friday January 11.

An eight-week consultation period has been set between Monday January 21 and Monday March 18.

The latest draft of the plan states that no green belt land will be used to build the 13,940 homes needed in the borough of Bolton in the next 20 years.

It makes Bolton the only council in Greater Manchester that is planning to put no homes on the green belt at all.

Speaking at the meeting, leader of Bolton Council, Councillor Linda Thomas praised the plan and the impact it will have on Bolton.

She said: "We're ecstatic about how our plans have come out because obviously we've been able to say that we're not building on any green belt.

"We've ignored our brownfield sites but we've since announced our £1 billion masterplan for the town centre, which means we'll have an additional 2,000 houses on brownfield sites.

"We're glad you went back to the drawing board and you've given us an opportunity to deliver what people wanted."

Andy Burnham responded: "Bolton really does illustrate the new approach and I think you have a much stronger vision that responds to what the people have said."