Controversial decision to approve office campus on New Islington Green defended by planning committee chair

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

direct to your inboxThe head of Manchester’s planning committee has defended the controversial decision to approve proposals to build offices on a much-loved green space in Ancoats.More than 5,000 people signed a petition opposing the ‘workspace campus’ on New Islington Green, a large patch of grass by New Islington tram stop.Residents, Labour councillors and Liberal Democrat campaigners urged the committee to save the green, which had grown in popularity during lockdown.But most members voted in favour of the plans in December after hearing that the area had always been earmarked for redevelopment, having been sold by the council in 2019.The committee was also told there was a shortage of high-quality office space in Manchester - and that.