Wirral Council has approved its own planning application on a former Ministry of Defence (MOD) site that would see hundreds of homes built.
Up to 249 homes were proposed on the MOD site which is linked to another site for up to 217 homes at the nearby Riverside Park near Old Hall Road in Bromborough.
The application was unanimously approved by councillors despite some concerns that ward councillors were not properly consulted on the MOD site application.
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Councillors argued that options for industrial or commercial use of the land had been properly explored and the site had “never reached its potential” for this type of use.
The 217 homes at Riverside Park were also approved six to one with 20% affordable housing and contributions made to enhance two bus stops in the area once people are living in the new homes.
Councillors were told the applications would be an “exciting step forward for both of the sites” and a “major regeneration and planning opportunity.”
Greg Dickson, planning director at Stantec, told councillors the council's application had been “subject to extensive scrutiny by officers” and that if a biodiversity net gain was not seen on the site, this would be offset elsewhere.
Mr Dickson said approving the two applications together would “ensure that the scheme comes forward with an integrated development with a clearly defined sense of place.”
Concerns had been raised by Cllr Jo Bird, who represents Bromborough, about the council’s application on the MOD site. Requesting a decision was pushed back, Cllr Bird said she was concerned ward councillors had not been adequately notified of the application.
Cllr Bird told councillors that approving the application “would create an undemocratic precedent which you would not want repeated in your wards” and the figure for how much the council plans to make from the application had not been provided.
The council says ward members were not sent a direct notification as it had switched to a new IT system for planning applications, members were made fully aware of the situation, and this had now been rectified so councillors do receive a direct notification.
Cllr Steve Foulkes worried refusing the application, which is on brownfield sites, would undercut the council’s local plan currently being reviewed by the Government. The plan means the council will prioritise building on brownfield sites, land previously developed, instead of green belt.
He said: “The refusal of this I particularly think would be used as a stick to batter us with.” He said that saying no “would be used by those opponents of the local plan to undermine it.”
Cllr Stuart Kelly, chair of the planning committee, said the area was changing with new gyms and cafes and that no employer wanted the Riverside site.
Addressing concerns about health and school provision in the area from Cllr Bird, Cllr Kelly said these had been addressed and the houses “may be beneficial to those schools as vacant places will be filled.”
Cllr Kelly also addressed concerns by Cllr Phil Gilchrist and Wirral Wildlife over a buffer zone around the Riverside development. He said that the 5m buffer zone proposed was within the Council’s proposed local plan.
Travel was also an issue. Cllr Mary Jordan, who used to work at the Riverside site, asked for the “need to ensure that there are decent bus services in that area” and whether they could be improved beyond the bus stops.
Cllr Foulkes, who was recently appointed as vice-chair of the Liverpool City Region’s transport committee, said Mayor Steve Rotheram was seeking further control over buses and “it is in all our interests to provide new communities with good bus transport.”
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