URGENT - Please comment on the new Wirral Local Plan Scoping Report - by 5pm 28th August
Dear Supporters -
URGENT – Please respond by 5pm on Friday 28th August. QUICK GUIDANCE PROVIDED BELOW
THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE YOU SAY ON WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN PLANNING WHAT IS BUILT WHERE ON THE WIRRAL
The existing Wirral Council Local Plan was adopted in March 2025. This was a “Brownfield only” Local Plan covering a plan period of 2022-2040 with a minimum requirement for 14,400 houses over the plan period, or 800 dwellings per annum.
However, in December 2024, the Government announced major changes to the way local housing needs are calculated, meaning that Wirral’s local housing “need” has now doubled to 1,622 dwellings per annum.
A new Local Plan system was established under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and has fundamentally changed the process for preparing Local Plans. Whilst this means that the process should be “speeded up” it also means that the opportunity for public to have a say in the Local Plan may be curtailed.
Therefore, it is essential that as many people as possible respond to the latest consultation phase which is the “Scoping Consultation”. This consultation seeks views on what the new Local Plan should cover and how the Council should engage with communities and stakeholders as the plan progresses.
The Consultation involves12 specific questions via the Council’s “placemaker engagement platform”. (see below)
Further details about the consultation can be found via the link below.
The Council will also accept written responses to the questions included in the Scoping Report Consultation Document, by email (to localplan@wirral.gov.uk) but would prefer that you to respond via their online portal, the “placemaker engagement platform” which you need to register with first. You can register via the following link:
Once you have accessed the platform you can view the Scoping Report and within the document there is a series of questions for you to respond. Please answer the questions as you see fit, but the following answers (prepared by the Heswall Society and the Wirral Green Space Alliance) may help you:
Q1:
Are there any other methods of communication or engagement that you would consider more effective and that we should consider that we haven’t already included?
A: Existing proposals seem very comprehensive
Q2:
Do you have any views on how we can best ensure that all communities and demographics are able to meaningfully participate in the Local Plan process?
A: Please add Wirral Green Space Alliance to list of consultees, as their extensive network and input was greatly appreciated by the during the development of the current plan. WGSA represent over thirty environmental groups on the Wirral with extensive memberships
Q3:
A: Do you think there are any other challenges or opportunities we should be aware of in relation to efficient use of land?
Farmland is needed for food supply and to mitigate against drought and flooding. Encourage use of solar panels on industrial buildings, on car parks, factories and supermarkets etc to prevent farmland being lost to solar farms. All new buildings should have solar panels and EV charging points.
Prevent loss of land through carbon capture pipelines and pumping stations.
Maximise the opportunities presented by densification within existing townships.
Build over town carparks
Fully exploit Wirral Waters and other Brownfield land
Q4:
What do you think we need to consider in planning for more homes?
A:The use of the 2024 NPPF standard method results in an illogical housing requirement which bears no relationship to real need or infrastructural capacity. These numbers should be strongly challenged.
The very successful approach of brownfield only in the current plan should be stretched to the very limit to provide the required sites for new homes and to preserve the Green Belt. Many brownfield sites were identified in the development of the current plan, but were not included in the final housing trajectory.
Maximise the opportunities presented by densification within existing townships.
Further encouragement of change of use from commercial to residential.
Ensure infrastructure is capable of supporting any proposed development (transport, health, retail, schools, sewage, water supply, proximal access to recreational spaces)
The current Local Plan makes provision to address GP provision for larger new developments but the critical shortage in secondary hospital care and A&E on Wirral must be recognised. Any increased demand on these overstretched services by the building of new homes should only approved following a full assessment of the future capability and capacity of the NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board to meet the additional needs.
Q5:
Are there any places that you think could benefit from new homes? You might want to consider places with good transport links, access to jobs, or where new homes could help regenerate underused or neglected land or help support underutilised local services.
A:
Focus should continue on brownfield sites, particularly in the North and East of Wirral. Wirral Waters still has huge development potential. Build above town centre carparks.
Q6:
Do you think there are any other challenges and opportunities we should be aware of in relation to economic issues?
A: Need to build skill base, particularly for the younger generation, to prepare them for the future opportunities, especially regarding sustainable energy, infrastructure and homes. Encourage development/expansion of technical colleges.
Q7:
Where do you think new jobs should be located in Wirral?
A:Employment opportunities should be pursued everywhere wherever an opportunity arises but priority should be given to the North and East side of Wirral where unemployment is highest but the opportunity for job creation is the highest.
Q8: What types of employment should we be seeking to target?
A:All types of employment should be championed whether manufacturing or service. Apprenticeship schemes should be strongly encouraged, also retraining opportunities for mid-career people made redundant as AI impacts traditional businesses.
Q9: How can planning and development help support climate action and green energy in Wirral?
A:Solar power mandatory on all new developments.
Better use of SUDS for surface water on all developments and encourage rainwater harvesting schemes.
Encourage reuse of existing buildings rather than rebuild.
Renewed focus on Wirral Tree Strategy.
Better enforcement of landscape schemes and replacement trees forming part of planning and tree-work approvals.
Enforcement of provision of electric vehicle charging points in all new developments.
Follow recommendations of protecting environment provided by Wirral Wildlife.
Implement the Liverpool City Region Nature Recovery Strategy.
Reserve farmland for food production and biodiversity which will be needed much more as climate change accelerates. Reserve farmland for flood and drought mitigation and encourage biodiversity.
Q10: Do you think there are any other challenges and opportunities we should be aware of in relation to transport issues?
A:The proposed upgrading of the Wrexham-Liverpool railway to provide four direct trains per hour by 2035 through Heswall Hills Station could offer major opportunities for Heswall which needs to be considered in the new Plan 2045. To maximise the benefit there would need to be much better parking provision. There will also be implications for Upton.
Heswall is a major pinch point on the A540 with no opportunity for bypassing and this should be factored into future infrastructure assessment of major development proposals.
Wirral needs a much better integrated network of cycle routes, current routes are too disjointed.
Fill in the Table to prioritise your answers to the question:” Please choose three of the most important issues out of the topics below that you think would be critical in the production of the Local Plan” - Please answer as you wish based on your own priorities, However the Heswall Society have stated “All of these topics are essential components of a sound Local Plan and we see no merit in trying to prioritise them, as they all need to be addressed. Ranking them would be counterproductive as it might be considered that some are more important than others, and the lower ranked ones could be given less attention and resources”.
Q11:
Do you think these are the right issues to be considered for our Vision?
A: Please add any additional issues that you wish eg. Ensuring that adequate infrastructure is in place, such as water and sewerage, medical facilities, energy supplies – particularly with the Peak Cluster proposals, possible data centres etc.
Q12:
Are there any other issues that you think we should be including?
A: No mention of importance of good design in Vision, although it is singled out as an important topic in the last bullet point in 4.8.1.
Add Wirral Green Space Alliance to list of formal consultees, as their extensive network and input was greatly appreciated by the LPA in the development of the current plan
Retain a Brownfield only Local Plan and utilise every available Brownfield site
Maintain the Strategy of the current Adopted Local Plan, one still based upon 'Regeneration' of the areas of most (locally-assessed) NEED, with some increase in Density in other existing built-up areas (by sensible infill, conversions, appropriate and timely Land-Use Changes, etc., to provide the required 'flexibility', 'choice' and 'geographical coverage), such that there continues to be NO need to develop within Green Belt;
Any so-called 'Grey Belt' land within current Green Belt should have a very limited definition, centred upon PDL ('Previously Developed Land') and any permitted development should be of Local Character;
Truly affordable housing, especially Social/Council House building is required and present promises by politicians need to be delivered, and Wirral has some of the most Deprived Areas in the Country and should receive a fair and early share;
The continuation and inclusion within the Local Plan of the nationally exemplar Wirral Programme of 'Returning Empty Homes to Reuse' (over 200 per annum);
Where the opportunity arises, part of Wirral's Housing Target should be delivered within other areas of the LCR CA (Liverpool City Region Combined Authority) with their vast 'Brownfield' areas;
Thankyou for your help and support