Plans for a community-led housing project said to be one of the largest in the UK is set to learn its fate this summer.
The plans, submitted by Safe Regeneration, aimed to create a £33m neighbourhood in Bootle on the bank of the Leeds Liverpool canal near Merton Road. The six acre scheme was however rejected by Sefton Council when it went before the planning committee in February 2021.
The plans were appealed to the Planning Inspectorate and are set to go before an inquiry hearing on July 14, according to Safe Regeneration CEO Brian Dawe. Speaking to the ECHO, Mr Dawe added: “We're confident of a positive outcome.
"The first scheme is always the toughest one to get through. It's always a race to second after that. We're working as closely as we can with Sefton Council.”
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Safe Regeneration, a social enterprise and arts organisation, wanted to transform the area under its #DestinationBootle project to create 107 affordable family homes, an 80-bed extra care facility for residents aged 55 and over, leisure facilities, a microbrewery and an arts hub and business centre. The ‘neighbourhood’ would have been situated next door to the SAFE Community Arts and Enterprise Hub based in the former St Mary’s Primary school, which backs on to the grounds of the Lock and Quay pub - a community pub also opened by the Safe regeneration of the team.
However the scheme was rejected by Sefton Council’s planning committee, stating advice from Councils Highways that such developments should include two car parking spaces for every home. Planning chiefs also said there were “significant shortfalls” in the proposals, due to the scheme’s “excessive density” and its outdoor amenity space.
Safe Regeneration claims that only 5% of households in the area own two cars, and only 29% own one - despite guidance that the project would need two parking spaces provided for each home. When first submitted, the scheme, believed to be the biggest community-led housing project in the UK, would have seen the creation of 110 new jobs, as well as contributing an estimated £3.8m annually to the local economy.
The proposals, if approved at the hearing, would be situated a few metres along the canal from where Sefton Council is looking to build a new food and drinks and events space. The Council’s project has received backing from the City Region Combined Authority but was overlooked by the Government when Sefton Council submitted a £17m Levelling Up bid last November.
Commenting at the time of the initial decision was made regarding Safe Regeneration plans, a council spokesperson said: “We continue to offer support to any and all projects which contribute positively to the regeneration of our borough. We have worked with this applicant proactively throughout the planning process to try and secure a design of the highest standard, which met all requirements.
“Where the local authority has any concerns over certain parts of a submission, applicants are always made aware from a very early stage. In this particular application concerns were raised in relation to car parking, private outdoor amenity space for residents and overall design quality.
“As with all applications, our planning officers have encouraged appropriate resolution on these matters. It is the view of the local authority that these concerns have not been fully addressed and as a result officers were left with no option but to recommend the application be refused.
“We have reiterated to the applicant that we are ready and willing to continue working with them to find the right solution for this site.”
