Plans for hundreds of homes on green belt land face huge opposition

The Leverhulme Estate owns thousands of acres of land, including Brimstage Hall Farm and residential and commercial properties across Wirral. Its founders were behind the development of Port Sunlight.

But now, Leverhulme has put forward initial plans for more than 800 homes on the green belt in places including Pensby, Irby and Heswall.

There has been a major backlash to the proposals. A petition (https://www.change.org/p/leverhulme-estates-stop-trying-to-build-on-wirral-s-green-spaces?redirect=false) opposing it, set up by Gail Jenkinson, Labour’s candidate for Greasby, Frankby and Irby in May’s local elections, has gained 2,231 signatures at the time of writing.

Nigel McGurk, head of land and planning for Leverhulme, said: “Leverhulme is uniquely placed, given its extensive landholding, to support the requirement to deliver sustainable new communities across the peninsula over the next 15 years.”

The proposals have been submitted to Wirral Council in the form of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Scoping Opinions, an application to a local authority for its opinion on what information needs to be included in a formal EIA.

The plans:

Land west of Barnston Road, north of Gills Lane – SCR/21/02379 Includes proposals for up to 160 homes

Land east of Thorncroft Drive, Gills Lane, Pensby – SCR/21/02379 Includes proposals for up to 15 homes

Land east of Dale View Close, north of Gills Lane, Pensby – SCR/21/02385 Includes proposals for up to 100 homes

Land east of Glenwood Drive, Irby – SCR/21/02384 Includes proposals for up to 310 homes

Land at Milner Road and Barnston Road, Heswall – SCR/21/02377 Includes proposals for up to 120 homes

Land east of Raby Hall, Raby Hall Road, Raby Mere – SCR/21/02383 Includes proposals for up to 85 homes

Land west of Raby Hall, Raby Hall Road, Raby Mere – SCR/21/02386 Includes proposals for up to 40 homes

Commenting on the plans, Wirral West MP Margaret Greenwood said: “People in Wirral West value the green belt highly for the key part it plays in defining the character of the landscape.

“The green belt is there to protect towns and villages from urban sprawl and to improve the quality of life of those who live and work in the area. It’s immensely important that we defend it.

“It also has an important part to play in our response to the climate and ecological emergency that we face, supporting habitats for wildlife and allowing nature to flourish.”

The Labour MP added: “I believe that it is vital that we protect the green belt – not just for the health and wellbeing of people today, but for future generations.

“I would encourage anyone who cares about the environment to make sure they submit their objections to these proposals.”

Residents have until January 15 to comment on each of the plans.

Wirral Council is due to publish a local plan in the near future, a document which is set to explain how the authority wants around 12,000 homes, the amount which must be built in the next 15 years, to be delivered.

Cllr Tom Anderson, who represents Greasby, Frankby and Irby on Wirral Council, said: “Unfortunately the Labour-led council has failed to come up with a ‘local plan’ in the last 15 years. And their record is appalling when it comes to green belt.

“They voted to build 200 homes on green belt in Hoylake as part of the failed golf resort project. They voted to build a fire station in Saughall Massie on green belt land.

“A local plan will protect our green belt. We were promised this in 2020, that was delayed until 2021. Now 2021 has passed and still no local plan, just more dither and delay.”

The leader of Wirral Council’s Conservative group added: “Unfortunately this delay in publishing the local plan has led to developers chancing their arm and putting in speculative applications, causing much angst and worry to residents.

“Conservative councillors are clear. We do not support building on green belt land.

“I am calling on the council to publish its local plan as a matter of urgency. A plan that is resolute in protecting all of our green belt. A plan that only designates brownfield sites for development. Nothing else will do.”

Labour’s Gail Jenkinson said: “There are several issues with these applications, and after being alerted to them, I raised my objections and provided information to thousands of Greasby, Frankby and Irby residents via Facebook and leaflets delivered to 800 houses in just two days so that they could do the same.

“I set up a petition and the response has been overwhelming. I encourage everyone to sign, and most importantly, put their objections on the council website.

“We must make it abundantly clear to developers that people in Wirral don’t want to lose their greenbelt, and Wirral Labour is completely opposed to building on it too.”

Ms Jenkinson said there is enough brownfield land available to meet house-building targets in Wirral, adding that in Birkenhead alone there is potential for 21,000 homes.

She continued: “Wirral’s greenbelt isn’t for sale, and it’s vital that we all stand up for our green spaces, for now, and for future generations.”

Commenting on the application, Nigel McGurk, Leverhulme’s head of land and planning, said: “Leverhulme is uniquely placed, given its extensive landholding, to support the requirement to deliver sustainable new communities across the peninsula over the next 15 years.

“We set out a vision [last year] which encouraged Wirral Council to create beautiful new neighbourhoods in Wirral and we have begun to consider in detail how such a vision could be delivered in practice.

“As part of this process, we have submitted EIA scoping requests for land across our estate to Wirral Council to help us better understand what assessments will need to be undertaken, ahead of any future planning applications.”