Dear Supporters,
Leverhulme's have submitted planning applications for over 1000 houses across 8 sites in Irby, Greasby, Pensby, Barnston, Heswall and Raby Mere. This is just Phase 1 of their "Vision" but they have already planned Phase 2 and Phase 3, as can be seen on the attached map.
The Council rejected the phase 1 planning applications but they have appealed and there will now be a Public Inquiry by the Planning Inspector over 25 days between May and July.
In addition the Local Plan Public Examination will be running AT THE SAME TIME. The first Local Plan "Matters in Question" hearing begins on 18th April.
WE ARE NOT FIGHTING LEVERHULMES ON TWO FRONTS AND WE NEED YOUR HELP - PLEASE DONATE TO OUR FIGHTING FUND:
https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/savewirralsgreenbelt
Some may say that the timing of Leverhulmes planning applications, and subsequent Appeal and Public Inquiry, have been deliberately timed to overwhelm the limited resources of the Council. Have they deliberately "sat on" their planning applications and submitted them so that any appeal will coincide with the Local Plan Examination, deliberately draining any opposition of time, energy, resources and, crucially, money?
We are now dealing with a DOUBLE WHAMMY of TWO Public Examinations / Inquiries AT ONCE - the Local Plan Public Examination AND the Leverhulme Planning Inquiry.
Such deliberate tactics by Developers are common. Leverhulmes Planning Advisor, Nigel McGurk, may be familiar with such tactics. He is, afterall, both a Planning Advisor / Consultant (working for private companies) AND a Planning Inspector (working for the Governments Planning Inspectorate). So he is both a "poacher and a gamekeeper", depending on who is paying the money.
Wirral Green Space Alliance estimate that we need to raise AT LEAST £40,000 to have expert representation at the most important hearing days. We have already engaged legal and planning experts, but the amount of days at which they can represent us at the hearings will depend solely on the generosity of the public.
Can you help us raise £40,000? It is possible that Leverhulmes may employ a Senior Barrister to represent them on every day of 25 day Planning Inquiry at an estimated cost of around £100k.
Wirral Green Space Alliance want to have expert representatives challenging the Developers at BOTH the Local Plan Inspection AND the Leverhulmes Planning Inquiry. They will be challenging the Developers ON YOUR BEHALF.
If Leverhulmes persuade the Planning Inspector to overturn these planning applications then there will be no stopping them in their quest to concrete over much of Wirral's Green Belt and food producing farm land. In addition, the Council's "Brownfield only" Local Plan will be in tatters. We must stop them!
We need your help, we have already raised £15000 but much of that money has already been used for legal and planning advice. We need MUCH MORE - please donate as much or as little as you can afford and help us to reach AT LEAST £40,000. The more we raise, the more days we can have experts attending the hearings and challenging the Developers.
Thank you for your support