Leverhulme has submitted a planning application to create a “beautiful, sustainable and deliverable” housing-led development in Greasby.
The application is for up to 240 new homes on greenbelt land to the east of Rigby Drive, including 72 new affordable homes.
In response to a question from Wendy Morton MP, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today said in PMQs, “We must protect our greenbelt and we are adopting a brownfield first strategy. I’m pleased we had a record number of new homes built in the last year, but it’s important that we build those homes in the right places.”
Leverhulme says that the new scheme will see the creation of new safe walking and cycling routes, connecting homes, schools, and the countryside.
Nigel McGurk, Head of Land and Planning for Leverhulme, said, “There is a requirement in Wirral for a broad mix of new homes to cater for all needs and Leverhulme is best placed to deliver this in a sustainable, responsible way, with a commitment to providing high quality, thoughtfully designed development.
“The Leverhulme Vision has been developed over several years and follows a rigorous process of creating communities which are beautiful but also economically and environmentally resilient, something that has never been more urgent than today.”
Margaret Greenwood MP has spoken out against the new plans. In a recent debate in parliament, she said that she supports her constituents who feel passionately about protecting the green belt and that the government should come forward with stronger protections for the green belt as a matter of urgency.
Speaking out against the plans, Margaret Greenwood MP said, “Leverhulme Estate should abandon their plans to build housing on the green belt in Wirral West.
“People in Wirral West value the green belt highly and have made it abundantly clear that they do not want to see it built on. I fully support them in this.
“We need more affordable homes built to high energy efficiency standards and we need them to be built on brownfield sites. The green belt is important to people’s health and wellbeing and for the role it plays in supporting wildlife habits, allowing nature to flourish and mitigating the effects of climate change.
“Wirral’s draft local plan, which has now been submitted to the secretary of state for independent examination, states that sufficient brownfield land and opportunities exist within the urban areas of the borough to meet housing needs, and the exceptional circumstances to justify alterations to the green belt boundaries do not exist in Wirral.
“Leverhulme should pay heed to this and drop their plans. I urge everyone who wants to protect the green belt to have their say through the planning process. Once the green belt is gone, it is gone forever.
Earlier this year, Leverhulme submitted seven further planning applications for greenbelt homes in Wirral.
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