A DRAMATIC slump in Bury's population could protect the borough's green fields from developers.

New predictions show that the number of local residents will remain the same over the next 20 years when earlier estimates had forecast a large increase.

Town Hall planners are sure to use the new figures in their fight to keep open land out of the clutches of house builders.

Developers took up most of the time during the public inquiry into Bury's Unitary Development Plan, arguing for more land to build on.

The Government's population projections, based on 1996 figures, show that Bury's population will remain at around 182,000 until 2016

This is in stark contrast to the 1993 predictions, which suggested Bury's population would soar to 201,000 by that date - a difference of 19,000.

Mr Ian Cheetham, director of development and environmental services, said the recent influx of people migrating to Bury seemed to have stopped.

He said: "In part, it could be a sign of success of the regeneration in Manchester and Salford, who are holding on to their population better than they used to."

Mr Cheetham said a static population did not necessarily mean a huge cutback in home building, adding: "The figures cannot be looked at in isolation.

"The big issue will be what size households are going to be in the future. We will still need a lot of new houses."

He did say the new figures "didn't help support the case for major land release".

That could make the local authority's case stronger when it locks horns with builders in three years time when the UDP is reviewed.

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