Leverhulme housing inquiry opens

A public inquiry has opened at Wallasey Town Hall into plans for the Leverhulme estate to build up to 800 homes on sites in mid-Wirral, after the local authority rejected the plans.

Planning inspector Katie McDonald will hear appeals for seven planning applications submitted under the Leverhulme Vision, which envisages 30% affordable housing allocation.

Nigel McGurk, Leverhulme’s head of land and planning, said: “Since publishing the Leverhulme Vision and our subsequent planning applications, Leverhulme has been calling for an intelligent and robust debate around realistic, sustainable solutions to Wirral’s housing requirement.

“Sadly, this did not happen, but now the public inquiry finally provides for the sensible consideration of how to address Wirral’s housing problems in an appropriate, deliverable manner.”

The sites in question are in Pensby, Irby, Heswall and Bromborough. The estate was passed down from Lever Brothers founder Lord Leverhulme who grew up the soap maker into a global business empire in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

Wirral Council objects to the release of Green Belt and called for more environmental assurances and active travel measures. The council claims it has sufficient five-year housing supply in its emerging local plan to be able to refuse the applications.

McGurk added: “Wirral’s need for the delivery of family homes is critical. Leverhulme is uniquely placed to deliver the new homes that Wirral requires alongside vital economic growth and job creation.

“Wirral Council’s current trajectory will continue to fail to deliver the mix of housing, including affordable homes, that the Borough needs.

“This contrasts with Leverhulme’s proposals which are fully deliverable and would ensure multiple other benefits in ways that no other proposal in Wirral can, including the opening up of the countryside, the creation of new cycleways and footpaths and the significant enhancement of biodiversity and habitats.”

A council spokesperson said: “The seven applications by Leverhulme are for a total of 788 new dwellings on Wirral’s Green Belt and have attracted considerable interest. More than 200 members of the public attended for the opening session of the Public Inquiry at Wallasey town hall.

“Over the coming weeks at this Inquiry the local authority will vigorously defend the planning committee’s decision to refuse these applications to build on Wirral’s Green Belt. Development is by definition harmful to the Green Belt but the appellant argues that benefits will outweigh this harm. The council disagrees and will argue the points strongly through the Inquiry.

“Just before the start of the hearings the appellants withdrew part of their appeal, for the Sustainable Alternative Natural Greenspace.

“The matter is now in the hands of the Planning Inspectorate and the appointed inspector will carefully consider all of the evidence before reaching her conclusions.”

The public inquiry will hear appeals for the following applications:

• 15 homes north of Gills Lane in Pensby, between Thorncroft Drive and Gills Lane Farm and stables
• 153 homes on 18 acres north of Gills Lane in Pensby and to the west of Barnston Road
• 92 homes near Pensby Road in Pensby, between the existing residential streets of Dale View Close, Gwendoline Close and Thorncroft Drive
• 290 homes north of Thingwall Drive, east of Glenwood Drive and west of Arrowe Park in Irby
• 80 homes north of Raby Hall Road between the Autism Together complex and the residential neighbourhood on Blakeley Road at the edge of Bromborough
• 38 homes north of Raby Hall Road, with built development proposed to the west of Raby Hall and a footpath link to the east
• 120 homes west of Barnston Road and north of Milner Road near Heswall town centre and Heswall railway station.