Wirral Council decides to release land at Warrens site - but on the wrong side

Oct 22 2008 by Matt Hurst, Heswall News

WIRRAL Council’s cabinet has declared an area of land at the former Warrens Nursery site “surplus to requirements” - despite Wirral PCT never asking to use it.

Last Thursday, cabinet met and authorised the “disposal” of 1.68 hectares of land to the east of the site, but Wirral PCT’s original health centre proposal sought to develop the western side.

As protests mounted, the council’s planning department refused that request last October, and the PCT had since appealed to the government’s planning inspectorate to overturn the decision.

Last month, that appeal was indefinitely adjourned, and no renewed planning application has been placed to develop the area of land subsequently released.

Wirral West MP Stephen Hesford supports the PCT but, as time continues to pass, has urged all involved to “get on with this thing”.

He said: “It is to some extent welcome that the council has decided to talk in terms of releasing some land at the Warrens for a new health centre.

“I believe the large majority of my constituents want it to go ahead, and therefore I will work either with the original site or the new site to persuade people that it would be disadvantageous to continue protests against building on what is formally Green Belt land.”

In July, council split the site designating the eastern side “green open space” and ruling out any development.

But last week’s cabinet decision still leaves the issue of Green Belt, the original reason for refusal, hanging over any new proposal.

Cabinet’s offer of a new access route onto Arrowe Park Road, rather than Thingwall Road East, has been welcomed.

Mal McKillop’s main concern was increased traffic, but now says he sees this issue “going in the right direction”.

Meanwhile, Kathy Doran, chief executive of Wirral PCT, revealed the organisation has already spent £74,000 on the Warrens plan.

Speaking at Heswall and Pensby area forum last Wednesday, she said: “We’ve looked to see if there’s a better place than proposed. If we can get a site that minimises loss of green or trees then we should do it.”