Green light for 286 houses in Formby

Sefton Council has conditionally approved proposals by Taylor Wimpey UK to build homes on land north of Brackenway.

Central to the proposals put before Sefton’s planning committee was a plan to deal with flood risk to existing residents in the area with a series of mitigation measures, which led to the Environment Agency, previously an objector to the scheme, giving its support.

Taylor Wimpey had originally secured a resolution to approve the scheme, which is to be accessed from the A565 Formby bypass, as far back as March 2019, but a decision notice wasn’t issued.

Despite protestations from the local parish council and civic society, the site has remained as allocated for housing.

The approval will mean 19.5 acres of grasslands and wetlands to the north of the nearby Wham Dyke will be retained and landscaped linear green corridors will be created.

Green links to a new nature reserve extension in the north will help to enhance green infrastructure across the development and help increase local biodiversity.

Planning officers set a recommended contribution of £188,760 or £660 per dwelling from the developer to further mitigate recreational pressures on the Sefton coastline.

Cllr Daren Veidman, Sefton Council’s cabinet member for planning & building control, said: “As with every single planning application, both at officer and committee level all appropriate considerations, concerns and comments are taken into account before any decision is made.

“Crucially, this proposed development is likely to bring tangible benefits to existing residents who have previously experienced flooding.

“The development would also improve local ecology and biodiversity net gain in the area and has, in all other respects, fulfilled the planning criteria set out both on a national and local level.

He continued: “Of course the continued protection of our established communities is paramount and we have stated that a legal agreement will be put in place with the developer.

“This agreement seeks to ensure the proposed development will secure affordable housing, the long term management of open space, mitigation of any flood risk, management of watercourses, protect natural conservation sites and more.”