Leverhulme Estates have submitted a planning application to build Phase 1 (240 Dwellings) on Greenbelt productive Farmland in Greasby, Wirral.

We the undersigned object to this planning application for the following reasons:

The Application(s) conflict with the Council’s Regulation 19 Submission Draft Local Plan ‘Spatial Strategy’ which excludes (as being unnecessary) any release or development of Green Belt. 

The Application(s) conflict with the Framework (NPPF) and Government directives NOT to release ANY Green Belt for development until ‘brownfield’ and ‘Previously Developed Land’ opportunities are exhausted. Wirral has a nationally-significant extent and excess of suitable ‘brownfield’ sites.

New Housing within Green Belt is deemed ‘inappropriate’ development unless there are ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ or Very Special Circumstances’ which exhaustive studies have shown do NOT to apply to this Application.

Proposals conflict with 4 of the 5 ‘Purposes of Green Belt (to check Sprawl; prevent Merging communities; stop countryside Encroachment; and assist Urban Regeneration) and with special reasons why Wirral’s Green Belt boundaries remain tightly drawn around existing urban areas.

Proposals would both individually and cumulatively conflict with the requirement to protect both the Permanence of Green Belt Boundaries once drawn and the ‘Openness’ of it. 

Proposals would both individually and cumulatively conflict with both National and Wirral Policies regarding mitigation of Climate Change. There is no way that the Harm done to Ecology, Air Quality, Watercourses and countryside by developing farmland for new Housing can be fully mitigated let alone provide the mandated ‘Biodiversity Net Gain’, even by tree-planting within already ‘green’ areas. Landowners should be doing their bit as part of good Land Management.

Proposals would individually and cumulatively conflict with National and Wirral Policies regarding the protection and improvement of ‘Productive Farmland’ in order to ensure future ‘Food Security’.

The Leverhulme Estates Vision’ misrepresents Wirral’s Housing Need’; also, what their Proposals would provide, adverse Effects and even Lord Leverhulme’s Legacy. His factories needed healthy workers at hand and so he built houses next to his Works, following the earlier example of improved worker productivity from decent housing by Thomas Brassey, Lord Cadbury and others. The main point is that ‘Employment’ drives the need for Housing, NOT housing for profit’s sake.

The increase in population would add to the extreme pressures the local NHS services are already experiencing.  Greasby Group Practice have indicated they would look to close their books to new patients.  The local NHS Dentist has already closed their books to new adult patients.

Local primary schools are already at capacity.  Any new children in the area would have to commute to other schools increasing traffic congestion and pollution.