Outline plans to build 286 homes on land north of Brackenway in Formby will be considered by Sefton Council’s planning committee on Wednesday (March 6).
Labour’s Formby councillors Catie Page and Nina Killen said it put the planning committee in “a difficult position” and criticised Independent councillors for “spreading myths to suit their own agenda”.
Cllr Killen said: “Government planning policy has been written in a way that will increase housebuilding and increase building on green space. We broadly support housebuilding as we recognise that we have high house prices because not enough homes have been built over the past 30 years.
“But what it means is councils have a lot less power to turn down planning applications.
“The Government’s independent planning inspector, during the local plan inspection, said this site north of Brackenway was suitable for development as long as the flood risk was mitigated.
“Turning down a planning application that meets planning criteria will only lead to the government allowing it on appeal. It puts the planning committee in a difficult position.
“Our Independent councillors would have us believe that there are no school places, that the flood risk can’t be mitigated and that the affordable homes will be £300,000. They are spreading myths to suit their own agenda which we all know is to have no development on green space, ever. That is not a reasonable or responsible position.
“The facts are that if valid planning applications are refused, the government would give permission on appeal and the council would be forced to shell out for costly appeals.
“The facts are that some of our primary schools are not filling their reception classes due to so few children being born here, one of our high schools accepts children living 10 miles away due to a surplus of places, several agencies have confirmed that the flood risk plan will work and the affordable homes will be 80% social housing and 20% part rent part buy. The independents’ claims don’t stand up to scrutiny.”
The following agencies had ‘no objections’ to the planning application subject to the conditions that would be imposed if given approval: Natural England, Environment Agency, Canal & River Trust, United Utilities, the council’s Flooding and Drainage Manager, the Merseyside Environmental Advisory Service, the council’s Environmental Health Manager, the Ministry of Defence and Merseyside Fire and Rescue.
Cllr Killen said: “A total of 15 partners and stakeholders had ‘no objection’ yet the Independents apparently know better.”
In comments submitted to the council in response to the planning application, Cllr Killen and Cllr Page submitted comments regarding the flood risk, saying: “Flood risk for existing properties must not be increased and in fact should be decreased during any development of this site.
“The site sits within flood zone 2 and 3 and we welcome the fact that no homes will be built in flood zone 3 which will continue to act as a water storage area.
“We ask the planning authority and committee to seek assurances that the work that is planned for Eight Acre Brook, which we understand will include the lowering of the north side of the brook so that water will drain northward, will in fact bring about the desired outcome in reducing the risk of flooding to homes on Hawksworth Drive and Brackenway.”
The report states that the Environment Agency are satisfied that the flood risk to the site as been successfully minimised and that flood risk elsewhere will not be increased.
The Local Lead Flood Authority said they were satisfied with the drainage and flood mitigation strategy.
United Utilities said the site would be drained on a separate system to that used by existing properties so the proposed development would have no negative impact on the sewer flood risk for existing homes.
The councillors also asked that no site traffic be allowed to use Paradise Lane to access the site. The report confirms that development and servicing of the site will take place via the bypass entrance.
Cllr Killen said: “I was pleased to see in the officer’s report that site traffic will have to use the bypass to access the site and not Paradise Lane.
“The Paradise Lane entrance will be for pedestrians, cycles and emergency vehicles only. We have been given assurances that this emergency access from Paradise Lane, which will block traffic with the use of metal bollards, will never be opened up as a full access to the estate. The local plan states that access to this site by vehicles must be from the Formby bypass only, with access from Paradise Lane being only for emergencies, for example for a fire engine or ambulance.”
As a condition of the development, the developer would have to pay for de-silting of Hawksworth Drive surface water drainage network; de-silting of Eight Acre Brook and Wham Dyke culverts and a maintenance regime for Eight Acre Brook. The north side of Eight Acre Brook will be lowered so that w
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