Labour-led council 'clear' it is not happy with UK government plans

New homes at Millers Quay at Wirral Waters
-Credit:Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo


A Labour-led council said it has “made clear” it does not agree with the UK Government about its housing plans for the borough. The government told Wirral Council last year it needs to build more than 1,600 homes a year to meet a national target of 1.5m new homes.

In 2024 the government announced plans to change planning policy, leading to friction in Wirral Council over concerns the targets could lead to large scale greenbelt development. However the policy was welcomed by local MPs including Wirral West's Matthew Patrick, who said the housing crisis meant many were “forced to move away to get onto the property ladder” and “urgent action is needed.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the government was bringing in the sweeping reforms as the “dream of home ownership feels like a distant reality” with “record levels of homelessness.” A report brought before a Wirral Council economy, regeneration, and housing committee said over 5,200 people were seeking social housing and around 1,000 were homeless at any one time in the borough.

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At the meeting, Jon Heath from the Wirral Green Space Alliance questioned figures he said suggested up to 60,000 people would soon need a home on the Wirral. He asked for the council’s opinion on the government’s “illogical methodology” he said would “alter the Wirral character fundamentally and require massive green belt release.”

In response, committee chair Cllr Tony Jones said councillors were aware of the government’s new method for calculating housing targets contained within the government’s new planning policy but added: “The committee does not accept that the new standard method accurately reflects the need for housing in Wirral.” He said “the views of the council had been made clear” pointing to a letter the council sent to the government.

In September 2024, the council’s Chief Planner Mandy Lewis wrote to the government telling them their plans were causing “great uncertainty” to the council's draft Local Plan.

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The draft Local Plan is a major policy document which offers a guide to developers about where Wirral wants to build whether that is new homes or new businesses. Crucially, the plan does not include any review of green belt boundaries with “a brownfield only urban regeneration strategy.”

The council argued government policy would “significantly harm and undermine” the council’s regeneration plans, adding: “We strongly feel that we should be allowed to get on and deliver. We cannot do this if we must divert resources to dealing with inappropriate applications in the Green Belt and/or immediately starting preparations for a new Plan.”

Wirral Council also hit out at the government’s method for calculating housing need, arguing the increase of housing targets was “too high and not based on evidence" and "will not result in sustainable communities that best meet local needs." Ms Lewis said “Wirral’s population has remained relatively static for a long time and there is no evidence to suggest there is the level of demand.”

Wirral’s population grew by 0.1% between 2011 and 2021, much smaller than other areas. However its population is getting older while the number of people between 35 and 49 dropped by nearly 9,000 while those aged 65 to 74 has risen by 6,700.

During the meeting, the council also considered future budget cuts which were held in private as the council faces likely bankruptcy as well as a report on housing. The council also confirmed it had not applied to the government’s New Towns Taskforce for Birkenhead because the 10,000 homes required by the government would have to be on top of any already included in the Local Plan.