AS the newly-elected Labour government is expected to demand Wirral Council build 1,700 homes a year in order to help deliver a national target of 1.5 million new homes, this could force the local authority to look again at whether to build on the greenbelt.

Draft proposals put forward by the government have seen housing targets for the borough increase by more than 1,000.

Unless this target is reviewed down, it could see Wirral Council’s draft Local Plan found to be unsound. In its current form, the amount of homes projected to be built in the development policy won’t meet the government’s new proposed housing target of 1,755 homes a year.

Inside the council, this is raising cross-party concerns about whether this will require areas of the green belt to be open for development in the future. An emergency meeting has been called by the local authority’s Conservative group over the issue with a debate to be held on August 19 just weeks after a motion pledging to stick to current plans.

The new Labour government published in July new housing targets for councils across the country as well as a proposed new housing policy as part of its election pledges. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the government’s reforms would “correct the errors of the past and set us on our way to tackling the housing crisis.”

As part of this, the government brought back mandatory housing targets that were scrapped by the previous government but with increased numbers. This used old data on delivery as well as the size of existing communities and “adding an extra level of ambition in the most unaffordable areas.”

The government said the first port of call for development should be on brownfield land with greater density in towns but “councils will have to review their green belt land if needed to meet their own target, identifying and prioritising ‘grey belt’ land.”

There are currently 5,691 people on the waiting list for new housing in Wirral and house building on the Wirral has slowed since the pandemic according to government data. House prices for first-time buyers have increased by a third in the borough since 2019.

The draft Local Plan has been in development for years and was submitted for government inspection in 2022 followed by lengthy hearings in 2023. After this, a number of changes were recommended but inspectors said there was no requirement for green belt release at that time.

If the council does have to review green belt boundaries in the future due to new housebuilding targets, this could see a number of developers come forward to build new homes at different sites across the borough. These could include an old oil depot currently located in the green belt, a former tea factory previously in operation, and farmland close to towns in West Wirral that was previously considered for development.

Leverhulme has previously put forward plans to build more than 1,000 homes near Heswall, Pensby, Irby, and Greasby. The developer said these would build attractive, sustainable neighbourhoods that will help contribute to housing needs on the Wirral, particularly in the west.

However the plans were strongly criticised with protests, rallies, thousands signing petitions, and elected politicians voting against the plans. Leverhulme appealed the decision to reject seven applications out of eight applications which would see 788 homes built but the council defended its case.

Those plans include some significant developments with nearly 290 homes near Irby, new sports pitches, cycling infrastructure, wildlife habitats, public parks, and support for autism facilities. Leverhulme also dropped plans for 240 homes near Greasby but said it would “continue to work with others to highlight the urgent need for the delivery of housing in Wirral, where there has been little sign of a viable, deliverable Local Plan for decades.”

All of the projects would provide 30% affordable housing with the two largest applications near Barnston and Irby also providing 10% custom built housing. Going forward, Leverhulme said it has plans for 3,500 homes as part of phase two with nearly 8,000 homes proposed in total across 400 hectares as part of a long term strategy.

Though no changes have happened on a local level, concerns have already been raised about whether land near West Kirby could be up for development following announcements by the government about possible green belt boundary reviews in the future.

There has been a push by local campaigners to see the Gilroy Scrape, a lake near Saughall Massie Road, given extra protections through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority nature recovery strategy. They argue this piece of land is important for winter birds and will also be located close to Wirral Council plans for a new wetland between Hoylake and West Kirby.

However Miller Homes put forward a proposal for the land arguing that “without an appropriate housing strategy in place, West Kirby and Hoylake will be able to function as successful coastal resorts.” They said over 400 homes could be built across two sites which they argued “makes an overall weak contribution to the purposes of the green belt.”

While not within the green belt, Typhoo Tea’s site in Moreton wasn’t considered for housing at the time of the Local Plan’s development. Typhoo had asked the council to consider where it could be put forward for housing as it “presents an opportunity to deliver sustainable, modern housing development on previously developed land.”

In 2022, it proposed moving the business at the factory elsewhere on the Wirral asking for support from the council but in 2023, it was announced the factory would be closing down in June. This could leave the site open for development in the future.

The buildings currently on the site have been described as in “a poor state of repair” and at “the end of their economic life” and given its size with 36,000 square metres, it offers plenty of space for new homes.

Typhoo in their submission pointed to plans to build 100 homes near Reeds Lane as well as previously approved plans to build 257 new homes on the former Burtons Foods site in Moreton. However it was ultimately designated an employment area in the draft Local Plan.

Situated off Ferry Road in Eastham, the Carlett Park Oil Depot site was put forward by Lambert Smith Hampton for housing development. According to documents submitted while the Local Plan was in development, it could provide 110 new homes in Eastham.

The land despite its previous industrial usage as an oil depot by the Ministry of Defence is located within the green belt. Lambert Smith Hampton argued that if the development was allowed to go ahead, it would help tackle a contaminated site in the borough but green belt boundaries did not change.

The site is located one mile from two NHS GP practices, less than two miles from nearby dental services, and is situated close to shops in Eastham. It is also located close to Eastham Country Park.

In its submission, the developer said: “One of the issues which needs to be addressed is the legacy of industrial change in the Borough. This should be achieved by unlocking vacant and underused previously developed land, including specifically the need to ensure the regeneration and remediation of sites which have been contaminated by virtue of their historic use and for which the planning system has not made provision for such remediation to take place such as Carlett Park Oil Depot irrespective of whether the sites lie within the Green Belt. “

Sticking in Eastham, Wain Homes also put forward plans to build 370 homes on a site off Brookhurst Avenue. According to the developer’s documents submitted in 2022, the site is within its control and could deliver at least 30 to 40 dwellings every year within 12 to 18 months of planning permission.

In 2018, it was proposed to remove the site from the green belt but this wasn’t carried forward. in 2022, Wain Homes said the site could reliably help provide affordable housing, adding: “Due to no Green Belt release, the plan has insufficient flexibility to respond to change, for example the non-delivery of the development in the urban areas.

“In the absence of such flexibility, there is a real risk that the Local Plan will simply exacerbate the current housing crisis across Wirral.”

Elsewhere in south Wirral, Story Homes put forward plans to develop land south of Brimstage Road into roughly 320 new homes which would be located close to Brackenwood Golf Course and Claremont Farm. The developer said they would boost biodiversity across the site alongside a mix of affordable and market housing as a “flagship” project over five years.

Like Leverhulme, Pegasus Group was one of the developers challenging Wirral on its Local Plan during development. As part of this, it put forward a development of 254 homes and units on behalf of Verum Victum Healthcare, Bellway Homes, Carroll Group, and One Vision Housing for two parcels of land in the green belt.

This included 70 affordable homes for the elderly, a dementia care home for 64 people, 60 extra care apartments, 24 homes for people with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). a 12 bedroom acquired brain units, and intermediate care provision for 24 people. The documents submitted in 2022 said there was a significant need for affordable housing in Greasby, particularly for the elderly.

Elsewhere in Greasby, Pegasus on behalf of Russell Homes was hoping to help build up to 555 homes near Pump Lane on the banks of Arrowe Brook. Alongside these homes, there was proposals for new recreational space, a new primary school and care home for the elderly, a flood buffer zone, and some agricultural land kept to the north of the site.

The council had considered the site as one that needed further investigation in 2018 and the developer said they had received “positive feedback” on the plans before the local authority changed course. If the council has to consider building in the green belt, Pegasus argued “they should go back to the drawing board and reconsider all Green Belt sites put forward.”

Down in Heswall, Barratt David Wilson proposed building on land off Chester Road to the west of the Borderlands railway line. They argued this would “form a natural ‘rounding off’ of the south-eastern part of Heswall, one of Wirral’s largest settlements, with its own railway station and an array of community facilities.”

It was previously considered as an option for the council as part of earlier development of the Local Plan according to documents submitted by the developer. Barratt David Wilson said around 390 family homes could be built across the site but would preserve Heswall Sqaush Rackets club, one residential property, and the Darlington Industrial estate

According to documents submitted by the developer, the first 70 homes could be delivered in year two with 390 built over seven years. New village greens, a park, and football facilities would be created as part of this.