http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-42037268Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has launched a plan to transform "left behind" town centres in the region.
He said it was part of the rewrite of a controversial housing strategy, which had included plans to build on the area's greenbelt land.
The "town centre challenge" would instead target building on derelict "brownfield" land, he said.
All 10 boroughs in the region are invited to nominate a town for the scheme before the New Year.
The original Spatial Framework strategy identified potential sites for 225,000 new homes in Greater Manchester by 2035, but drew criticism, particularly over the amount of greenbelt land allocated for development.