A petition to stop new homes being built on one of New Brighton's most beloved green spaces gained more than 300 signatures - despite the plans never existing.
A petition calling on the people of New Brighton to 'stop the plans to build a housing estate on the Tower Grounds' was posted to non-profit petition website Change.org on Friday (September 2). It read: "The Tower Grounds is the heart of the New Brighton community, let’s stop Wirral Council’s plans to build a housing estate on it, the more signatures we can get the better chance we have of keeping our beloved Tower Grounds."
But a spokesman for Wirral Council confirmed it has not received any planning applications proposing building on the 122-year-old site.
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Tower Grounds was once home to the New Brighton Tower, a 567ft rival to the Blackpool Tower, which was demolished in 1919.
More than 300 people have signed the petition so far, with several angry locals voicing their outrage. One man said: "Wirral Council should be spending the monies in regeneration of areas which need the support, not bulldozing our green spaces which benefits all the community and visitors."
Another said: "Disgraceful, this is a lovely therapeutic area enjoyed by many. Build elsewhere, not on green space when loads of brown sites exist."
According to its most recent local plan, some 315 new homes are to be built in New Brighton between 2021 and 2037. These will be in 'regeneration areas' - areas which previously contained houses, factories and docks.
A further 130 new homes will be built in 'settlement areas' - areas that already have a lot of housing and places of work - in the resort, as well as in Liscard and Seacombe.
The spokesman for Wirral Council said: “The proposed local plan would, if approved, ensure that sites designated as local green space such as Tower Grounds, are protected from any inappropriate development. The Council has no plans to build a housing estate on this site.”
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