A pledge by the new Chancellor to build on Green Belt has set alarm bells ringing in Wirral, as the Borough’s long-overdue Local Plan enters the final stages.
On Monday, in her first speech since being appointed, The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves, announced that councils, including Wirral, will be instructed to review Green Belt boundaries, while also changing the National Planning Policy Framework to favour development and reintroducing mandatory housing targets.
The Leader of the Conservative Group, Cllr. Jeff Green, said: “While I congratulate the Chancellor on her historic appointment, her directives do not sit well with the promises made during the campaign to enable more decision making to made at a local level.
“All parties in Wirral joined with us to make a commitment to protect Wirral’s Green Belt although in the case of the Labour Councillors, this was 15 years after the Blair Government instructed them to do so.
“Wirral’s draft Local Plan will deliver new homes, but instead of using Green Belt as a previous Council Leader wanted, it will see the run down urban areas of the Borough redeveloped instead.
“My concern now is that, following the Chancellor’s directive, speculators and developers will once again try their luck at building on our Green Belt. Or, worse, that the new Government will rip up our draft Local Plan and instruct us to start again.
“We have 17,322 acres of Green Belt in Wirral. In view of the new Government’s policy I will be asking the Leader of the Council to assure us that he will stick to the Local Plan we’ve agreed and not be pressured by his Party to water down Wirral’s commitment to protect, preserve and enhance our precious Green Belt.
“Labour Councillors have agreed with us, until today, on this policy. I hope they will maintain their support now.
“Arbitrary, national housing targets using fancy formulas, are not the solution to Wirral’s housing needs. I doubt if many of the 5,691 families on the housing waiting list will benefit from this change of policy.”
