NEW parcels of land in Oldham are set to be added into the green belt as part of the proposed masterplan for the region which will see thousands of acres allocated for housing and employment.

The latest published draft of the Greater Manchester spatial framework has outlined a vision for how the 10 boroughs will evolve over the next 20 years, with a number of their green belt sites being released for development.

However, while the new proposals would allow building on green spaces, they also put forward new sites to be given extra planning and environmental protection.

Compared to the 2016 draft, there are more than 20 times the number of new sites that are earmarked to be added into the green belt.

The initial plans saw just three areas, at West Salford Greenway, Rectory Lane in Standish, and land within the Roch Valley in Rochdale included.

This has now risen to 65 portions of land, with the majority located in the boroughs of Tameside and Bury, which have 17 and 14 respectively.

In Oldham, there are four new sites allocated, totalling 10.45 hectares.

Dacres, Greenfield

There are two hectares of land in the Greenfield borough of Saddleworth that could become part of the green belt.

The triangular site, which is on the border with Manchester Road, covers woodland and grassland to the south-west of homes on Dacres Road.

It covers the gardens of the historic Dacres Hall, which dates back to 1819, and was originally built for the Reverend Bartholomew Dacre who was the curate of St Georges Mossley.

Wall Hill, Dobross

The largest site being considered to be given green belt status, at 5.86 hectares, is the Wall Hill site in Dobcross.

It already has been designated as ‘other protected open land’ by Oldham council, and it would now be given even more protection from development under the spatial framework.

It sits within Dobcross Conservation Area, and contains the listed cottage, Husteads Farmhouse.

An ecology screening in 2013 by the town hall found that the land has ‘high potential’ for supporting important habitats such as bats and badgers.

Denshaw Village Hall, Denshaw

One hectare of land behind Denshaw Village Hall – which also lies in the civil parish of Saddleworth – has also been allocated for green belt status.

The site, off Ripponden Road, is a large field that is currently owned by Oldham council.

The village hall features small and medium-sized meeting rooms, and a main hall, and is also used as a polling station.

Stoneswood, Delph

In the village of Delph, 1.59 hectares of green space could receive extra protection.

Currently listed as "other protected open land", the site, which sits between Stoneswood Road and Huddersfield Road, is partially within the Delph conservation area.

The steeply sloping land has been used for farmland, in particular sheep grazing, and council chiefs say it acts as a "buffer" between – as well as a link to – the village of Delph and the existing green belt.

The plans, including the new areas allocated for housing and employment space, will go out to public consultation on January 21.