Plans to build 17 new houses on a field in Wirral have been branded "not appropriate."
The plans have been submitted by developer Starship Group and would see the housing development built next to a slip road to the A554 that leads onto Leasowe Road. The land is situated near Greenleas Primary School.
In a report prepared for the developer, Aslan Saylam from Eden Planning and Development Ltd said the proposal would “have a positive impact on the local area” and provide “new affordable family homes each with adequate provision of parking, amenity / separation distances, garden, and internal floor space.”
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But Conservative councillor Ian Lewis said he is opposed to the plans, as he said: “Well it’s grazing land and it’s not really an appropriate location.
“There is a primary school nearby and the streets around it are a School Streets area which means they are trying to reduce the number of cars around the school.”
A previous proposal with more houses was rejected as it was deemed they would “result in a cramped development that would appear incongruous in the street scene”.
The land is not considered green belt but does sit near green belt land. Starship Group said the land was “vacant” and “had no previously defined use or development history.”
Cllr Lewis said: “It’s not actually green belt but it has been previously used for agricultural purposes. It’s not brownfield either as it has never been built on. As a council we have decided on brownfield first.”
Letters of objection or support need to be submitted by October 13.
Speaking about the plans, Dave Dargan, Managing Director, Starship Group, said: “There is growing demand to deliver next generation homes to meet the national housing shortage, new developments in the centre of communities will always meet some resistance however to deliver new homes for families, development needs to take place somewhere within those communities. This is why we are working with the local authority and housing providers right across Wirral to deliver new developments within the area’s most in need and developments that use better density, better design and better energy performance”
This development is currently a fly tipping plot of land in the area where only 4% of homes are aimed at the affordable market and where demand is extremely high. Subject to planning these new homes will be built offsite at our manufacturing centre on Wirral Waters, creating local jobs and will deliver 17 new EPC A rated (Zero Carbon) homes which will have some of the lowest running costs of any home in the region."
While the Starship application will come to the council's planning committee in the weeks ahead, four applications will be considered at a meeting tomorrow.
Four separate applications will be considered by Wirral Council’s planning committee on the same day.
One is related to retrospective planning applications for advertisements, CCTV cameras and pay and display machines at the controversial Cherry Tree shopping centre car park in Liscard.
Wirral Council recently apologised for approving the advertisements in error and Council leader Janette Williamson has called for an investigation into the matter.
Also in Liscard is a proposal for the demolition of a derelict warehouse to build a three-storey dwellings in its place.
Two people have supported the proposal while nine letters sent in are opposed. A petition of 34 people is also opposed.
Those supporting said: “The site is currently an eyesore and given the state of the site, the sooner it is developed the better” while those opposed are worried about the height of the development and impact on biodiversity.
34 people are opposed to an application to build one house on land in Heswall with Cllr Andrew Hodson expected to speak on how it may impact neighbours.
The property will be single storey with two storeys at the back.
Cllr Hodson is also requesting more time for neighbours to comment on an application to knock down an old care home on Allandale Farr Hall Road, Heswall and build four houses.
A similar application was refused in June 2022 but one house has now been moved three metres further away from protected trees on the site. 128 people have signed a petition in opposition.
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