WIRRAL’S GREEN BELT IS NOT SAFE! DEVELOPERS ARE ALREADY SURVEYING THE FIELDS!! -  WE NEED YOUR HELP TO FUND A LEGAL CHALLENGE!!

Donate via this link: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/savewirralsgreenbelt

Green Belt Sites across the Wirral are at risk of development, including sites in Bebington, Clatterbridge, Eastham, Bromborough, Greasby, Frankby, Irby, Heswall, Hoylake, Meols, Saughall Massie, Moreton, Pensby, Thingwall, Prenton, Upton, West Kirby, Caldy and Thursaston.

There was massive public outcry in 2018/19 when Wirral Council stated that up to 50 Green Belt sites would need to be released. Following the last Council elections in 2019, when a number of Councillors lost their seats, the Council changed their rhetoric and now say that they want no Green Belt to be released. The Council are indicating that they will adopt a Brownfield only approach in the Local Plan, the draft of which is due to be published imminently. Nevertheless, the same Green Belt Sites are held in reserve and are in the latest Local Plan Evidence Documents as potentially suitable for release.

“No Green Belt Release” is only the Council’s “PREFERRED OPTION”. It very much depends on the Local Plan Inspector agreeing that there is enough Brownfield land to meet the “target” of 12000 new homes. In order, for the Brownfield land to be included as suitable for housing in the Local Plan, it must be proven, during public examination of the Plan, that the sites and housing are either “deliverable” within the first 5 years of the Local Plan or “developable” within years 6 to 15 of the Local Plan.

The Task is made harder by the fact that the Council are insisting on sticking to the now widely discredited “Target” of 12000 new homes. This is despite all the evidence of numerous experts which indicates that the true target should be significantly lower, nearer 4000. This is highly likely to lead the Local Plan Inspector to conclude that it would be unrealistic to build such a vast number of houses on Brownfield sites. They would have to be built at a rate never before achieved, require significant contamination and ownership issues to be addressed and require huge amounts of public funding. Unfortunately, the Local Plan Inspector is highly likely to conclude that some Green Belt Land must be released to allow some of the ridiculous target of 12000 to be met. The Council would then achieve their former covert policy of Green Belt release and vastly higher Council Tax receipts, but would be able to claim “its not our fault”!

Unfortunately, Developers are ready and waiting to convince the Local Plan Inspector that Green Belt Land must be released. They have legal representatives already lined up, to present their evidence at the Local Plan examination hearings, ready to try to destroy the Council’s Brownfield only argument. Indeed, they already argue that the target of 12000 houses should be even higher. Developers are currently being observed surveying fields in and around the Wirral (March 2021), wishing to lose no time before submitting planning applications to build as soon the Local Plan is signed off.

In November 2019, the WGSA (Wirral Green Space Alliance) set up a Fighting Fund.  It was established as a means of raising funds to pay for professional planning & legal advice that we anticipated would be needed to be able to challenge Wirral Council in its preparations for the Wirral Local Plan. 

This proved a good decision which has enabled WGSA to make some valuable challenges to date. Legal Counsel and Planning Experts have advised us that we have a strong case to challenge the draft Local Plan, the release of Green Belt and the over-inflated housing targets.

Unfortunately, much of the money already generously given has now been spent, but now the Draft Plan is nearing completion, we are unable to relax our efforts as THERE STILL REMAINS A GREAT THREAT TO THE WIRRAL’S GREENBELT AND GREEN SPACES.

We are now making a fresh APPEAL for donations to help us continue our vital work. We need to be able to take part in the Local Plan examination hearings and have expert legal, planning and population statistic representatives present our case and challenge the Developers and the Council.  

Please donate as little or as much as you can afford. Fees will be very expensive so we need to raise a very significant amount. Every penny really will help to protect our beautiful Wirral Borough for future generations.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/savewirralsgreenbelt

Thank you for your support.