14 new houses could be built on a field in Wirral despite road safety concerns for children at a nearby school.
They would be built on a field opposite the Lidl on Leasowe Road in Wallasey with access to the site coming from a footpath from the main road and an extension of Greenleas Close.
The homes, proposed by Eden Planning and Starship Group, are up for approval at a Wirral Council planning committee meeting on March 16 after an initial application for 17 homes was reduced by three properties.
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In a report recommending it for approval, Wirral Council said: “The proposed residential development is sustainably located, allowing easy access to local amenities, businesses and transport links.”
It also said the application would not have an “unacceptable adverse impact on neighbouring properties” and all of the houses will be classed as affordable. It has also been supported by the council's Affordable Housing team and Wirral Highways who offered no objection subject to conditions.
The approval is despite concerns over road safety including comments from a Wirral Council Active Travel officer that cars driving past the nearby Greenleas Primary School could cause issues at opening and closing times during the week.
This is because Greenleas Primary School was the first school on the Wirral to join a School Streets scheme encouraging parents to walk and cycle with their children to school instead of going by car.
The officer asked that “construction crews refrain from performing deliveries via Greenleas Close at these times wherever possible and be mindful for the safety of children being dropped off and picked up from the school on foot.”
Those against the new houses argue the new development, which could lead to more cars going past the school which they said is at odds with why the scheme was brought in in the first place.
The report said: "It is considered that the proposal’s impact on highway and transport matters (including highway safety) is not significant enough as to warrant the refusal of the application."
Potential impact on wildlife including birds, foxes and bats has also been raised and a petition signed by 125 people objecting will be presented to the planning committee.
Phil Pilkington, who lives nearby and is against the application, said: “There are two relevant reasons. The main one is the council has introduced a school streets scheme which was brought in over issues of road safety for families. Obviously the extra traffic and the extra houses would create more cars on the road.”
Mr Pilkington also said the field, while not classed as greenbelt, shouldn't be developed on, pointing to the council’s draft local plan that prioritises houses on land already built on.
He added: “On affordable housing, everyone appreciates that we need affordable housing but this isn’t the right location,” arguing areas like Birkenhead and Bromborough, sites of major regeneration projects, are where it's needed.
The application is also being opposed by Wallasey councillors Ian Lewis and Lesley Rennie over road safety concerns.
Cllr Lewis said: “You can see how close the school is to the road. Putting more traffic onto the road goes completely against the scheme when we’ve gone through all the consultation process to get everyone on board to have this as a school street and restricting parking at busy times and then what we’re going to say is have another 14, 15 or 20 cars come past. It goes against everything we’re trying to do.”
Nicole Roe, from Eden Planning, said: "We have listened to the concerns raised by the local community and have worked with officers to address these issues. A condition of any planning permission requires the approval of a Biodiversity Enhancement Plan demonstrating a biodiversity net gain. This will provide an overall benefit to the biodiversity of the site.
"In terms of temporary construction traffic, we acknowledge there will be minor disruption during the construction phase. However, these homes will be factory built, meaning over 60% of the work activity will not actually take place at the development site, helping to keep disruption at a very low level.
"There will be a construction management plan in place to control the impact and minimise the disruption and inconvenience caused.
"Some concerns around privacy and overlooking have been raised by the community, however, we have worked closely with the Council to ensure that the development is in line with its Policies and officers agree that it is acceptable.
"We’re confident that the development will provide long-lasting benefits to the local community."
A previous version of the article has been corrected in relation to the number of affordable houses. Further comments from the council report have also been added.
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