COUNCILLOR Sid Dunn, Conservative member for Thurstaston, is crying victory in Battle Royle. The planning committee, on which he sits, has decided to include in the Green Belt a plot of land in Irby.

Residents were at loggerheads with landowner Arthur Royle over use of the land off Elm Road.

"This decision by Wirral Council is a victory for ward councillors and common sense. For the last 10 years there has been an ongoing battle with the developer who wanted to use some of the land for housing. With Councillors Jeff Green and Mark Hughes we have campaigned to stop encroachment of the Green Belt in this area."

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