End in sight for controversial war memorial development plans

Oct 17 2012 by Liam Murphy, Heswall News

CONTROVERSIAL plans by Tranmere Rovers to redevelop a memorial field for housing look set to be heard by councillors later this month.

A senior planning officer said it was “very likely” the plans to build up to 90 new homes on the Ingleborough Road site in Birkenhead will be heard by the planning committee on October 25.

Councillors are due to visit the site as well as Woodchurch, where Tranmere have submitted a linked scheme to create improved training facilities, a couple of days ahead of the meeting.

Tranmere Rovers FC first revealed the plans – which would also see an upgrade to the Woodchurch leisure centre for use as a training site for the club and improved facilities for the public – last year.

They want outline planning permission to build new houses on the Ingleborough Road field site in Prenton, which had been used in the past by the club as a training ground.

However those campaiging against the proposals insist Ingleborough Field – formerly playing fields for the Birkenhead Institute – is a war memorial, left to commemorate 88 pupils from the school who died during World War I, including the famous war poet Wilfred Owen.

Tranmere withdrew their original plans earlier this year and resubmitted a revised scheme for both Prenton and Woodchurch sites.

It is similar to the original application, although the refurbishment to Woodchurch has been slightly scaled back.