Plans for 200 flats approved despite 400 people objecting

One resident said traffic near the site is 'hideous'

Plans for 200 flats approved despite 400 people objecting

Plans for nearly 200 flats and extra care apartments in Wirral were voted through last night, despite more than 400 people opposing them.

The development at the former Rock Ferry High School was passed by Wirral Council’s planning committee on a split vote, with seven in favour and four against.

Under the plans, 102 extra care apartments and 76 houses and bungalows will be built just off Highfield South and Ravenswood Avenue.

In a clear show of local opposition, four petitioners spoke against the plans. They represent a total of 434 people who have signed letters opposing the plan.

Susie Dodd, who has lived in Highfield South for 18 years, said pollution caused by traffic on Highfield South already exceeds the World Health Organisation’s limits.

This is a huge problem for everyone, but particularly those with breathing problems and children.

She added that more cars on the road will only make this worse.

Ms Dodd was also annoyed that 11 trees would be felled as part of the plans.

At a time when the council is supposed to be tackling the climate emergency, she thought this was a backwards step.

She was not satisfied with the idea that other trees could be planted in their place, as the mature trees to be felled currently soak up far more carbon dioxide than young saplings.

Most of the petitioners' complaints were traffic related.

Chris Owen has lived virtually opposite the former school’s gates since 1984.

He said the volume of traffic on Highfield South is “hideous”, as people use the road as a rat run, causing unnecessary congestion.

A key point for petitioners was that they had asked the applicant to put traffic calming measures in place to stop cars speeding on Highfield South, a long, straight road.

Torus - the developer, said its representatives had talked to Wirral Council’s highways team, who said there have been few accidents on the road and traffic calming measures are therefore not needed.

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Petitioners were not content with this. They said that while few accidents have occurred the road is dangerous and this needs tackling.

Cllr Ian Lewis, leader of Wirral Council’s Tories, thought the developer’s attitude was dismissive.

Cllr Lewis asked, if all the developer was going to do was get the go ahead from the highways officer and ignore residents’ concerns, what was the point in consulting with local people in the first place?

Leon Armstrong, representing Torus, said all technical matters have been addressed and that they would struggle to get permission for traffic calming measures when there is no material reason to implement them.

Mr Armstrong added that the plans will create jobs for local people, affordable homes and extra care units, all things the area is in need of.

This answer did not satisfy Cllr Lewis, who voted against the plan.

Labour councillor Steve Foulkes thought the developer could do more to address local concerns.

He suggested Torus could pay for trees to be planted elsewhere in the borough, cancelling out the trees it will be felling as part of this plan.

On traffic, Cllr Foulkes thought the developer should enter into a voluntary agreement with locals and consider putting in traffic calming measures to satisfy their concerns.

But in the end he said the plan should be supported, as there is no clear reason for opposing it.

Despite petitioners concerns, there is not a sufficient history of accidents for the plan to be opposed on the basis of traffic concerns.

Nor is the felling of 11 trees enough of a reason under planning guidelines.

Therefore, Cllr Foulkes was worried that the council would be penalised on appeal if it voted the plan down.

Ultimately, he supported the development.

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As well as this development, the building of 14 affordable homes on a site currently used by a British Legion bowling club in Liscard was approved.