Dear Supporters,

We need as many people as possible to write to all Wirral Councillors before the Council meeting to discuss the Green Belt on 10th September.       

The Council claim they are being “forced” to release Green Belt by the Government to meet a housing target of 12,000 in 15 years.

The Councils’ own Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) in 2016 came up with near identical housing targets – yet the Council did nothing!

A Local Plan determines what can be built where and what land should be protected. Wirral Council have consistently failed to produce a Local Plan, since the previous plan in 2000. Now Wirral Council have been told by the Government that if they do not produce a Local Plan, the Government will do it for them.

·Not wanting to lose control, the Council are now rushing through “Consultations” on the Green Belt review and are preparing a “botched” Local Plan based on over inflated fantasy housing figures which will not meet Wirral’s housing needs.

Government housing targets are based on ONS (Office for National Statistics) population projections over the next 15 years.

Independent Analysis of the Housing Targets by Professor (retired) D.Gregg has shown that, using ACTUAL recent local population trends, the target should be between 220 - 350 houses per annum (or approx. 4,300 houses in total).  Professor Gregg’s background is in mathematical modelling, statistics and operational research.

·Section 44 of The Governments Document “Planning for the right homes in the right places", released in March 2018, states:

"Deviation from the proposed method (for calculating housing targets) - Given the significant financial and time-saving benefits, our expectation is that local planning authorities adopt the proposed method (i.e using the ONS population projections) when assessing housing need. However, there may be compelling circumstances not to adopt the proposed approach. These will need to be properly justified, and will be subject to examination."

·We suggest that Professor Gregg’s analysis and documents should be used as a basis to prove that there is "compelling circumstances"  not roadopt the Governments proposed method for calculating housing targets.  

·Why are the Council not challenging the Governments targets, when Government guidance explicitly states that the Targets can be challenged? Why are the Council claiming they are being forced by the Government to release Green Belt Land when, the truth is, is that the Government are simply forcing them to produce a Local Plan like every other Local Authority?

·Developers are circling like vultures ready to pick off Green Belt Land. As part of the Council’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment in 2016, the Council received submissions from Developers wanting to build on 104 sites across the Wirral.

· We are aware of large house building companies aggressively promoting the release of Green Belt Land on the Wirral and also contacting landowners, trying to buy up further land.

There is space for 18000 houses on Brownfield sites on the Wirral, more than enough to meet even the exaggerated targets.

 It is not good enough for the Council to say they that Compulsory Purchase Orders for Brown field sites are too costly or take too long. Compulsory Purchase Orders take around 18 months or so ( a relatively small amount of time when the Local Plan is for 15 years) Wirral Waters has “housing zone status” which means it is eligible for £millions in government grants to remediate and develop the land.

·Wirral Waters already has planning permission for 13000 houses. The Peel Group, who own the site, say that with the right public partnership they could build up to 6450 houses during the 15 year Local Plan period.

·Wirral Council has already spent over £1million on the Hoylake Golf Resort (with its proposed housing estate of 160 luxury houses). They proposed to spend £17million on roads for the Golf Resort and lend £26 million to the Developer, (who has a dubious record including a history of bankruptcy.)

Wirral Council seem more focussed on meeting Developers needs rather than the needs of the people they represent. The Council’s newly appointed Corporate Director of Housing and Economic Growth, Brian Bailey is married to Delyse Bailey, Development Planning Manager for the Peel Group. Surely this is a massive Conflict of Interest?

Wirral Council Leader, Phil Davies, should drop his plans for the Hoylake Golf Resort and spend the money on developing Brown Field sites in deprived areas to meet our housing needs.

·Green Belt land comes with a premium price. Therefore, Green Belt development is usually for expensive executive homes and very few will be affordable housing.

·It is scandalous that the Council are proposing to release Green Belt Land for Development, when there are, reportedly, between 2000 and 6000 empty properties on the Wirral.

 Professor Greggs analysis shows that the land the Council propose to release from the Green Belt could actually support over 70,000 houses.

·Will Wirral Council’s Leader Phil Davies abandon his own overinflated figures and abandon his costly Golf Resort Project? Or have the Green Belt sites for release been deliberately exaggerated? Knowing that there will be a public out- cry, will Phil Davies and his Councillors try and become Green Belt Hero’s and claim they have listened to residents and were able to save some of the Green Belt sites?

The Green Belt is our Green Lungs which mitigates against Climate Change. Green Belt development increases traffic and pollution and increases populations in areas without the infrastructure and services to cope.

·How can we trust Councillors who say they want to protect the Green Belt but have voted time and time again to build on the Green Belt for the Hoylake Golf Resort?

·Write to your Councillors and tell them that if the Council challenged the Governments Targets, using actual population trends, and worked with the likes of Peel to build houses on Brownfield sites, there would be absolutely no need to release any Green Belt land. 

· (If you would like copies of our paper petition to share with your friends and neighbours, please contact us)

 If you want to get involved in our campaign, please check out our facebook page “Defend Wirral’s Green Spaces” or contact Phil Simpson on 07988 677270

The Extraordinary meeting of the Council is on 10th September at 6pm (meet outside at 5.30pm to protest) – please write to all our Councillors before the 10th of September to express your anger at the totally unnecessary Green Belt Release.

All the Councillors emails can be found below. Just copy and paste them into your address box.

Thanks for your support!

ronabbey@wirral.gov.uk 
tomanderson@wirral.gov.uk 
bruceberry@wirral.gov.uk 
chrisblakeley@wirral.gov.uk 
allanbrame@wirral.gov.uk 
phillipbrightmore@wirral.gov.uk , davidburgessjoyce@wirral.gov.uk 
katecannon@wirral.gov.uk 
chriscarubia@wirral.gov.uk 
patcleary@wirral.gov.uk 
wendyclements@wirral.gov.uk 
tonycottier@wirral.gov.uk 
tonycox@wirral.gov.uk 
angeladavies@wirral.gov.uk 
georgedavies@wirral.gov.uk 
phildavies@wirral.gov.uk 
billdavies@wirral.gov.uk 
pauldoughty@wirral.gov.uk 
davidelderton@wirral.gov.uk 
gerryellis@wirral.gov.uk 
stevefoulkes@wirral.gov.uk 
samanthafrost@wirral.gov.uk 
andrewgardner@wirral.gov.uk 
philgilchrist@wirral.gov.uk 
jeffgreen@wirral.gov.uk 
elizabethgrey@wirral.gov.uk 
pathackett@wirral.gov.uk 
paulhayes@wirral.gov.uk 
andrewhodson@wirral.gov.uk 
kathyhodson@wirral.gov.uk 
adrianjones@wirral.gov.uk 
christinejones@wirral.gov.uk 
sharonjones1@wirral.gov.uk 
tonyjones@wirral.gov.uk 
maryjordan@wirral.gov.uk 
stuartkelly@wirral.gov.uk 
briankenny@wirral.gov.uk 
anitaleech@wirral.gov.uk 
ianlewis@wirral.gov.uk 
moiramclaughlin@wirral.gov.uk 
juliemcmanus@wirral.gov.uk 
chrismeaden@wirral.gov.uk 
davemitchell@wirral.gov.uk 
berniemooney@wirral.gov.uk 
christinamuspratt@wirral.gov.uk 
tonynorbury@wirral.gov.uk 
matthewpatrick@wirral.gov.uk 
cherrypovall@wirral.gov.uk 
lesleyrennie@wirral.gov.uk 
lesrowlands@wirral.gov.uk 
tonysmith@wirral.gov.uk 
christinespriggs@wirral.gov.uk 
jeanstapleton@wirral.gov.uk 
paulstuart@wirral.gov.uk 
mikesullivan@wirral.gov.uk 
adamsykes@wirral.gov.uk 
thomasusher@wirral.gov.uk 
joewalsh@wirral.gov.uk , geoffreywatt@wirral.gov.uk 
stuartwhittingham@wirral.gov.uk 
irenewilliams@wirral.gov.uk 
jerrywilliams@wirral.gov.uk 
stephenwilliams@wirral.gov.uk 
janwilliamson@wirral.gov.uk 
gillianwood@wirral.gov.uk

patcleary@wirral.gov.uk

jobird@wirral.gov.uk