Wirral Council has said it will block all green belt building plans unless “very special circumstances” are demonstrated.
The authority has made its position clear in response to an email from Conservative councillor Tom Anderson expressing concern with Leverhulme’s desire to build more than 800 homes on green belt land in Wirral.
The Leverhulme Estate owns thousands of acres of land, including Brimstage Hall Farm and residential and commercial properties across Wirral. Its founders were behind the development of Port Sunlight.
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But now, Leverhulme has stated its desire to build more than 800 homes by asking the local authority for its opinion on what information needs to be included in a formal Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Commenting on the application, Nigel McGurk, Leverhulme’s head of land and planning, said: “Leverhulme is uniquely placed, given its extensive landholding, to support the requirement to deliver sustainable new communities across the peninsula over the next 15 years."
Although this falls short of a formal planning application, it has led to a major backlash.
A petition opposing it, set up by Gail Jenkinson, Labour’s candidate for Greasby, Frankby and Irby in May’s local elections, has gained 2,763 signatures at the time of writing.
Labour MP Margaret Greenwood, who represents Wirral West, has also stated her opposition to Leverhulme’s proposals.
Writing to Cllr Anderson, Alan Evans, Wirral Council’s director of regeneration, said: “I am writing to you with regard to concerns raised following a recent screening request which has been submitted to the council by Leverhulme Estates.
“At present any proposal to develop green belt designated land is contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework and the Unitary Development Plan and in general terms the applicant would need to demonstrate very special circumstances.”
In response, Cllr Anderson, leader of the Tory group on Wirral Council, thanked green belt groups and local residents for “fiercely defending” the green belt.
Mr McGurk said: “Leverhulme is uniquely placed, given its extensive landholding, to support the requirement to deliver sustainable new communities across the peninsula over the next 15 years.
“We set out a vision [last year] which encouraged Wirral Council to create beautiful new neighbourhoods in Wirral and we have begun to consider in detail how such a vision could be delivered in practice.
“As part of this process, we have submitted EIA scoping requests for land across our estate to Wirral Council to help us better understand what assessments will need to be undertaken, ahead of any future planning applications.”
