Following the public inquiry into Wirral's draft Local Plan, the Inspectors have now written to Wirral Council with their initial comments.
Inspectors have advised that the Plan as it currently stands needs a number of changes to enable the Plan to be adopted.
Some of the changes reflect the Government's push to encourage councils to do more to develop brownfield sites, while protecting the Green Belt.
The letter is focused on housing figures and based on Wirral's 'brownfield first' approach, meaning new housing and other developments would be built on previously developed locations in order that green spaces and the Green Belt can be preserved. They have also NOT asked for any new sites to be identified, or amendments to any existing site boundaries to be made.
Councillor Jeff Green, Leader of Wirral’s Conservative Councillors, said:
It was always going be a tough job to come up with a word perfect Local Plan, after 18 years of inaction by the previous council administration. It’s only since 2019 that all parties have been able to work together to try to get this over the line, and to protect the Borough’s Green Belt.
We’re all very appreciative of the work of the independent inspectors and the open and transparent way in which they conducted their hearings. Their letter this week confirms that some further work is needed to ensure it can deliver the ‘brownfield first’ policy.
Thankfully, while we do this, developers and speculators will not be involved, and no Green Belt sites will be proposed for development in the final version of the Local Plan.
Since work started on the Local Plan, there has been a big shift by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, to replicate that approach nationally. In November, the Government backed Wirral with £2.3 million from their Brownfield Land Release Fund.
Councillor Vida Wilson, who attended the public inquiry, and is pictured in Saughall Massie with colleagues Colin Baldwin and Gary Bennett, added:
We know developers have been pushing to have the plan thrown out, as that's the only way they can get to build 1,000 houses on Green Belt around Saughall Massie. From what the Inspectors' letter says, it looks like our plan to protect the Green Belt has taken an important step forward.
During the Inquiry, the Inspectors made several helpful points, such as the need for the policy on Conservation Areas to be strengthened.
Officers are now assessing the implications of the advice and are working on the required modifications. Once these are agreed with the Inspectors there will be a 6-week consultation period. Findings of the consultation will be fed into a revised plan, which will be taken to Policy & Resources Committee, and on to Full Council for formal adoption of the plan.
