Leverhulme backs down in Greasby
The estate has rescinded its appeal against the refusal of a 240-home scheme following the Planning Inspectorate’s decision earlier this month to dismiss seven other previously rejected applications totalling 800 homes.
The Leverhulme Estate is putting its 1,000-home vision for Wirral on the back burner, instead opting to push the council to develop a local plan in order to address the peninsula’s “acute” housing need.
Nigel McGurk, head of planning and development for Leverhulme, said: “Further to last week’s inspector’s decisions, it is clear that addressing the matters relating to Wirral’s absence of a deliverable local plan is the immediate priority for Leverhulme in providing much needed new homes.
“While we are disappointed not to be able to pursue this appeal at this stage, Leverhulme will continue to work with others to highlight the urgent need for the delivery of housing in Wirral, where there has been little sign of a viable, deliverable local plan for decades.”
Wirral Council rejected Leverhulme Estate’s plans to deliver 240 homes off Rigby Drive in Greasby earlier this year.
The proposals were refused in line with officer recommendations due to the fact that the properties would be built on 25 acres of Green Belt land, as well as the fact that there was insufficient provision for sustainable and active travel and an inadequate drainage system.
Leverhulme went to the Planning Inspectorate in July to appeal the authority’s decision, stating that its proposals would bring forward much-needed housing to the borough.
The other seven applications called for the redevelopment of another 110 acres of Green Belt land in Pensby, Irby, Greasby, Barnston, and Heswall to create 788 homes. The Planning Inspectorate refused all of them earlier this month.
Leverhulme will review the Planning Inspectorate’s dismissals over the coming weeks.
McGurk continued: “We remain fully committed to playing our part in addressing Wirral’s acute housing shortage – especially family and affordable homes – in a realistic and deliverable manner.”
I’m not sure why Leverhulme Estate are finding it hard to grasp that they would find less resistance if they were looking to build houses on brownfield sites and propose improvements to infrastructure in the area.
By Mr Dowd
What housing shortage? The most recent census survey states the population of Wirral has grown by less than 418 people in the last 10 years. They are deluded.
By Anonymous
@Mr Dowd – where are all the brownfield sites on the western side of the borough? Whilst the regeneration of Birkenhead is extremely important, the current strategy suggesting that the next generations housing needs can be met entirely on brownfield sites in one part of the borough is nuts. Is your position that people who have grown up in places like West Kirby, Heswall, Greasby etc shouldn’t have the opportunity to own a home / live in these locations?
By Anonymous