Almost 1,300 people have signed a petition to stop land on Grange Hill in West Kirby being designated for housing under Wirral Council’s new Local Plan.
The site, adjacent to Hoylake and West Kirby War Memorial, allotments and existing housing, is made up of fields and ex-farm land.
It is the sole remaining large plot proposed for new homes in the town under the Local Plan, which will guide development across the borough until 2035.
It comes after the ‘Green Field Estate’ on Grange Road – known locally as the sheep fields – was removed from the list of proposed sites after being designated as local green space.
It means the number of units earmarked for housing in West Kirby and Hoylake under the plan is now 58, compared to 132 when consultation began in 2020.
Most of the housing and regeneration planned for the borough is focused around the east, including what the council describes as “the comprehensive regeneration of Birkenhead to address several decades of decline”.
Campaigners from Protect Grange Hill say they have set up the petition to highlight to the council “that Wirral residents do not wish housing construction on green space land” and to “confirm support for Local Green Space (LGS) designation of the land at Grange Hill.”
The petition adds: “Grange Old Road is the original main Hoylake road through to the 1930’s when the increase in motor traffic required an improved ‘curve’ at Black Horse hill putting the impressive ‘Broccoli tree’ on prime location for passing traffic.
“The original road runs past the Sea Scouts and still retains its stone blocks to prevent carriages slipping down the hill.
“To the North and East of Grange Old Road is Grange Hill with its impressive views and war memorial.
“The WBS Draft plan proposal will carve out a significant section between Grange Hill War Memorial and the Grange Hill Allotments.
“This housing development introduces damage to this environment by human activity such as noise and light pollution forever changing the tranquility of Grange Hill.
“This petition is seeking support from the community to remind Wirral Borough Council that building on fields and green sites is not acceptable.”
The petition can be found at https://www.change.org/p/protect-grange-hill-green-space-west-kirby-plan-for-35-50-houses
Consultation on the Local Plan – which also includes proposals for a masterplan for West Kirby – ends on Monday 25 July, and comments can be made at https://www.wirral.gov.uk/planning-and-building/local-plans-and-planning-policy/wirrals-new-local-plan/new-local-plan.
It will then be submitted to the Secretary of State an examined by an independent planning inspector.
Depending on the outcome of the inquiry, it could be formally adopted next year.