The Corporate Director for Economic and Housing Growth reported upon the statutory requirement to review the entries on the Council’s register of brownfield sites each year under the Town & Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017 which was introduced as part of a Government initiative to encourage investment in new housing and as a mechanism for granting permission in principle on suitable sites instead of obtaining planning permission through a formal application.

It was explained how the Council had asked the Planning Committee to consider the Brownfield Register at least every 12 months to decide whether any sites should be added or removed and also whether any sites should be allocated for residential development in Part 2 subject statutory procedures (Council 11 December 2017, minute 96 refers).

It was reported that the review had identified new planning applications at Wirral Waters for Legacy (DLS/18/00715 for 536 apartments) and Belong (APP/18/00470) with 34 independent living apartments). Members were advised that based on the latest information of the schemes provided by the landowner, it was found reasonable to conclude that a minimum number of 1092 residential units could be achieved , representing a reduction of 580 from the number of units proposed in previous outline applications at Northbank East (09/05109 and 09/05110). Members heard how these applications were recommended for approval subject to legal agreements that had never been signed. Therefore the proposal was to add the sites where proposals for Legacy and Urban Splash were being considered at Northbank East and to amend the existing planning information with a revised number that equates to 1,092 dwelling for the available sites on the North Bank of the East Float.

Members were advised that taking account of works already commenced, the register of planning decisions, the latest available Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment, marketing information and the responses to public consultation on the first Brownfield Register, it was proposed that the Register be amended as follows:

·  include the former Pool Inn Public House, Poulton Rd, Seacombe:

·  include the former Birch Tree Public House, Prenton Road West;

·  include 165 Bedford Rd, Rock Ferry;

·  include former high rise flats adj Rock Close, Rock Ferry;

·  include builders merchant yard 8 Berwyn Drive, Pensby and Thingwall;

·  include Woodville, Raby Rd, Clatterbridge;

·  include the former Victoria Lodge Public House , 81-83 Victoria Rd, Birkenhead & Tranmere;

·  include Wirral Waters Legacy Site, Dock Road, Seacombe;

·  include Wirral Waters Urban Splash 1 site, Dock Rd, Seacombe; and

·  remove the Sundial, 61 Caldy Road, Caldy (under construction)

·  remove land at Kenilworth Gardens, Overchurch (under construction);

·  remove land at the former Millhouse public house, 79 Millhouse Lane, Moreton (under construction);

·  remove land at the former Corsair public house, Bidston Village Road, Beechwood (under construction);

·  remove Axholme, 76 Thurstason Rd, Heswall (under construction);

·  remove land at Mariners Park, Ismay Drive, Egremont (under construction);

·  remove land rear of Whitebridge, Bromborough ( under construction);

·  remove the former Cole Street Primary School, Birkenhead (under construction); and

·  update planning information for Acre Lane Resource Centre, 576-578 New Chester Rd, the former Dell Primary School, 15-25 Field Road, Trafalgar Service Station, 143 Highfield Road, Unused Land at Lees Avenue, 1 Mellor Road, Land adj 36 Patten Street and Wirral Waters Urban Splash 2, Belong and North Bank 1, Dock Road.

The Principal Planning Officer responded to questions by Members and it was agreed that individual sites would not be discussed at this stage of the process.

Attention was drawn to the supplementary agenda with corrections to appendix 2 and additional proposed recommendations.

Councillor I Lewis suggested the following amendment to recommendation 5 -

Replace “increase” to “affect”.

This was agreed unanimously by Members.

In response to a question on what is being done to encourage more housing to come forward, the Principal Planning Officer explained that  the register is brought to the attention of prospective developers at national and local level  through publication on the Government’s national database, the Council’s website and during discussions with prospective applicants.  The Council also works with registered providers and house builders to help bring sites forward in support of urban regeneration.

On a motion by Councillor S Foulkes and seconded by Councillor G Davies it was:

Resolved (11:3) - That:

(1)  Sites at the Sundial (668600), Kenilworth Gardens (650800), Former Millhouse PH (656800), the former Corsair Public House (655500), Axholme, Whitebridge (676600) and the former Cole Street Primary School (660900), be removed from Part 1 of the Brownfield Register.

(2)  Sites at the former Pool Inn Public House (0967), Birch Tree Public House (3001), 165 Bedford Rd (0775), Former Car Park adj 1 Rock Close (30035), Builders Merchant 8 Berwyn Drive (0898), Woodville Raby Rd (3047), the former Victoria Lodge Public House (3048), Wirral Waters Legacy (2081) and Wirral Waters Urban Splash 1 (2082) be added to Part 1 of the Brownfield Register.

(3)  Sites at the former Acre Lane Resource Centre (1666), 576-578 New Chester (570700), the former Dell Primary School (587100), 15-25 Field Road (644400), Trafalgar Service Station (557000), 143 Highfield Road Cleared Site, and Land adj 36 Patten Street (649500), Wirral Waters (2044) and Wirral Waters (2045) be amended to identify updated planning information in Part 1 of the Brownfield Register.

(4)  The revised register is made available for public inspection on the Council’s website and the principal office of the Local Planning Authority.

(5)  Officers continue to keep the Brownfield Register under review including progress at Wirral Waters and report any significant changes to Planning Committee that would affect the potential capacity for housing development and available brownfield sites.

(6)  Officers make recommendations in future reviews to Planning Committee on whether any sites should be assessed for allocation for residential development before land is entered in Part 2 of the Brownfield Land Register.