Wirral rejects Leverhulme’s 240 Green Belt homes
With Thursday’s decision, all nine applications that made up the 1,000-home Leverhulme Vision have been refused by the council.
The ninth and final application was to allow the building of 240 homes off Rigby Drive in Greasby. Of the 240 homes, 72 would have been affordable.
Wirral Council rejected Leverhulme Estate’s outline application after an hour’s discussion that focused, at length, on the fact the project would take place on 25 acres of Green Belt. The decision to refuse was made in line with officer recommendation and was made at the council’s planning committee meeting on Thursday.
The site’s protected status was just one of eight reasons for refusal. Other reasons included urban encroachment on the undeveloped countryside, impact on Greasby, lack of biodiversity information, insufficient provision for sustainable and active travel, and an inadequate drainage system.
Despite the council’s decision, Leverhulme head of land and planning Nigel McGurk said the developer was “fully committed” to its plans.
“In addition to the delivery of much-needed new housing, our proposals provide for improved infrastructure, connectivity, biodiversity, and recreation, as well as stimulating economic growth and job creation,” McGurk said.
“Like a robust economy, sustainable development must be genuinely deliverable,” he continued.
“Leverhulme is uniquely placed to be able to meet the need for new houses, flats, and bungalows, a need that has arisen because of Wirral Council’s failure over many years to provide for the meaningful delivery of new homes, especially affordable and family homes, in a viable manner.
“We are disappointed that Wirral Council has not given thoughtful, positive consideration to our comprehensive solution which will deliver in meeting Wirral’s urgent needs now.”
While Leverhulme contends there is a lack of housing delivery in the area, Wirral Council said that it can demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, courtesy of its emerging local plan.
Leverhulme has already committed to appealing the rejection of the previous Leverhulme Vision applications. These comprise:
- Up to 15 homes on a two-acre site to the north of Gills Lane in Pensby
- Up to 153 homes on an 18-acre site that is also to the north of Gills Lane in Pensby
- Up to 92 homes on a 9.6-acre site close to the local centre of Pensby Road in Pensby
- Up to 290 homes on a 43-acre site north of Thingwall Drive in Irby
- Up to 80 homes on an 8.8-acre site north of Raby Hall Road in Bromborough
- Up to 38 homes on an eight-acre site north of Raby Hall Road in Bromborough
- Up to 120 homes on a 20-acre site west of Barnston Road by Heswall
- A 56-acre Sustainable Alternative Natural Greenspace west of Barnston Road and between Barnston Village and Pensby
For those interested in learning more, find the relevant application numbers below.
Refused resi applications
- OUT/22/00941
- OUT/22/00942
- OUT/22/00943
- OUT/22/00944
- OUT/22/00945
- OUT/22/00946
- OUT/22/00947
- OUT/22/01821
Refused SANG application
- APP/22/01502
Good decision, a council that listens and puts the needs of the locals in front of profit for developers.
By Anonymous
Well done Wirral councilors
You have stopped these ridiculous
planning applications from spoiling our BEAUTIFUL GREEN BELT
The projects like Wirral Waters makes absolutely sense and will look in place.
The right thing has been accomplished in Heswall with some very good looking flats which now are much in demand with the cost of living crisis. The ones on the old gospel hall sight which are almost complete look great AGAIN WELL DONE WIRRAL COUNCILORS
By Anonymous
Great news there is enough brown land sites on the Wirral
stop attacking green belt!!
By Debra Marriott-Webster
Glad the council have seen sense and turned this application down
By Yvonne
Council needs to wake up to housing needs of the Wirral some of the Leverhulme plans where creditable plans But of snobbery by some I think 🤔
By Craig Burrell
I for one would welcome the new developments. I have been trying to buy a house for over a year. I am of an age that I do not want to do work on a property so to buy new with a 10 year warrantee would be beneficial. There are no homes on the market that do not need work doing to them. The cost of refurbishing a home at the moment is astronomical with materials going up in price. It would be cheaper to buy a new build. I know other councils are able to build on green belt (grade II agricultural land). There are plenty of people not against these developments and I am sure if they did go ahead there would be people living in all of the houses on all the developments showing there is a need.
By Georgina