A decision to block planning permission for up to 800 homes across Wirral is to be appealed.
Leverhulme Estates had submitted multiple applications to build hundreds of homes on green belt land across a large area of West Wirral, including land at Clatterbridge, Heswall and Pensby.
In total, applications for seven sites for around 800 homes, have now been rejected by Wirral Council.. An eighth application, for a further 240 properties, is currently with the local authority awaiting a decision.
Leverhulme said it had no hesitation in lodging the appeals because it believed in the importance of the applications to meet Wirral’s need to "provide for market and affordable housing and to do so through the delivery of beautiful and sustainable communities”.
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The developer said the proposals would deliver family homes, flats and bungalows, including more than 300 urgently needed affordable homes. The developer claims the council has "not kept pace" with the required delivery of a range of affordable homes across the borough.
Nigel McGurk, Leverhulme’s Head of Land and Planning, said: “Leverhulme is uniquely placed to be able to deliver the new homes that Wirral urgently requires and to deliver them in the most sustainable way. In delivering these developments, Leverhulme 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 enhancement of biodiversity and habitats.
“Crucially, our developments would stimulate essential economic growth across the Wirral - providing urgently needed homes, creating jobs and supporting services. They would serve to strengthen communities and promote wellbeing.
“We are disappointed that Wirral Council did not support our comprehensive, planned and unique solution to meeting Wirral’s needs in a way that provides for direct, ongoing reinvestment back into Wirral through a sustainable and realistic approach to development.”
Wirral Councillors have previously welcomed the decision to block the Leverhulme housing plans. Cllr Stuart Kelly, the chair of the council's planning committee believes the council will be well placed to defend its decisions.
He said: “I am confident council officers will be able to robustly defend the decisions and I am sure petitioners will also be ready to make their case to inspectors.
“These applications have caused a lot of concern amongst Wirral residents."
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