JUST WHEN WE THOUGHT THAT WIRRAL’S GREEN BELT MIGHT BE SAFE!!! The new Labour Government have published their proposed housing and planning reforms and it is a SHOCKER FOR WIRRAL with an ASTONISHING 241% increase in the number of new houses proposed.
Despite the Wirral Population only growing by 417 people between 2011 and 2021, the new government are proposing that Wirral now needs to build 1755 houses per annum – that’s 26,325 new houses over a 15 year Local Plan period.
The Wirral Local Plan has been put together over recent years, involving a significant amount of work from the Council Members and Officers, other stakeholders (including the Wirral Green Space Alliance) and significant engagement from Local Councillors and Members of the Public.
The Local Plan is due to be signed off imminently, with the Local Plan Inspector agreeing on the Council’s Brownfield Only Local Plan with a housing target of 835 houses per year (12,525 over the 15 year plan period).
The old Standard Method for calculating the housing need figure was based on outdated 2014 ONS (Office for National Statistic) figures and gave a housing need figure of 728 for the Wirral. The Wirral Green Space Alliance had argued that, if the housing need calculation was based on more upto date figures and projections, then the housing need figure would actually need to be somewhere around the 400 to 500 mark.
It had been hoped that when the new Labour Government came into office they would update the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the housing calculation Standard Method to use more upto date population figures and projections – so that houses are actually built where they are needed.
Instead they have changed the Standard Calculation so that it is based on a percentage of the existing housing stock number. This bonkers decision is why London, where there is a massive housing crisis, has actually had their target reduced from 100,000 to 80,000. It is why Local Authorities across the country, such as Wirral, now seeing their precious Green Belt targeted in the middle of a climate and ecological crisis, for homes that are not needed.
Whilst campaigning during the election, the Labour Government talked of “Grey-belt” as disused carparks and petrol stations on Green – Belt land, which seemed reasonable. What they failed to say, and is now becoming clear is that “Grey-Belt” could potentially include any Green Belt land next to a Settlement or Road! – i.e potentially much of Wirral’s Green Belt.
The Wirral Green Space Alliance is working to digest all the information released in recent days and what it now means for the Wirral. There is an 8 week Government Consultation on the proposed changes to the NPPF. Once we have had time to digest all the information we will provide further information on what the public can do.
Proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk