IMPORTANT – NEW PETITION FOR WIRRAL’S LOCAL PLAN – PLEASE SIGN
Dear Supporters - Thank you to the 21000+ people who signed this petition over the last few years. Your support really has made a difference in persuading Wirral Council to change direction and think again when it comes to the Green Belt.
NOW WE NEED YOU TO SIGN A NEW PETITION which will be sent to Wirral's Local Plan Inspector. It is ultimately the Local Plan Inspector, and not the Council, who will decide if Green Belt can be released for development.
It really is important that as many people as possible sign this petition and let the Local Plan Inspector know the strength of feeling from Wirral residents.
Wirral Council’s Draft Local Plan has now been published and residents and stakeholders have until 24th June to make “representations” on the “soundness” of the Local Plan.
You can make representations via www.wirral.gov.uk/newlocalplan but it is a time consuming and complex process for most. Therefore, WIRRAL GREEN SPACE ALLIANCE have produced a NEW PETITION which we will submit to the Local Plan inspector calling for a “No Green Belt Release” Local Plan to be adopted with a reduced housing target figure which will limit the risk to the Green Belt
Wirral Green Space Alliance (WGSA) are pleased that Wirral Council are now adopting a “No Green Belt Release” approach to the Local Plan, however this DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT GREEN BELT IS SAFE.
Wirral Council are insisting on sticking to their target of 13360 houses, a figure which WGSA and independent experts believe is an OVERINFLATED FIGURE, based on out-of-date information. Not only will local residents and groups be able to make “representations” about the “soundness” of the Local Plan but LOCAL HOUSING DEVELOPERS WILL HAVE EXPERT PLANNERS AND LEGAL TEAMS ALSO MAKING “REPRESENTATIONS” on their behalf. They will be trying to discredit the “soundness” of the draft Local Plan. They will be arguing that the Brownfield sites are not “viable” or “deliverable” and that there will not be enough sites to meet the target of 13360 houses.
This is why WGSA are arguing that, based on the most recent and realistic population data, the housing figure should be around 4300. Developers will be making “representations” to argue that the figure should be even higher than 13360 and that Green Belt must be released.
We have seen over recent months how Developers, such as Leverhulmes, have been surveying fields across Wirral and have undertaken PR exercises in advance of their representations to the Local Plan Inspector. Developers are throwing A LOT OF MONEY at this as they stand to make £millions
Ultimately, it is the Local plan Inspector, after a public examination process, who will decide if Green Belt should be released.
Please sign and share the petition with all your contacts – thankyou for your continued support.
You can also follow the petition on FaceBook
https://www.facebook.com/Defend-Wirrals-Green-Spaces-1070090656488873
The Wirral Green Space Alliance is a not for profit, non-political alliance and includes the following organisations:
The Wirral Society (CPRE Wirral)
Conservation Areas Wirral (CAW)
Wirral Footpaths and Open Spaces Preservation Society
Wirral Barn Owl Trust
Irby Thursaston and Pensby Amenity Society (ITPAS)
The Heswall Society
Mountwood and Bebington Society
Barnston Conservation Society
Frankby Conservation Society
Wirral Ramblers
Greasby Greenbelt Action Group
The Caldy Society
Thornton Hough Community Trust
Saughall Massie Conservation Area
Eastham Village Preservation Association
Claremont Defenders
Defend Wirrals Green and Open Spaces
Bromborough Society
Storeton Residents Association
Wirral Wildlife (Cheshire Wildlife Trust)