Myth: “The applications are submitted in order to address an urgent and compelling need namely the singular importance of ensuring that sufficient homes are provided on Wirral”.

Truth:  There is no urgent need for the number of homes that Leverhulme want to build, or their type. There is NO compelling need to build on our farms, fields and open spaces.
Furthermore, Wirral Borough Council have stipulated the number of homes that they intend to build (13,360) in the Local Plan and all those homes will be on brownfield sites.

Myth: Leverhulme to submit complementary proposals through the Local Plan process, “to help meet the Council’s development needs over the plan period for the Local Plan, until 2037”.

Truth:  Wirral Borough Council do not need complementary proposals for housing through the Local Plan process. They, Wirral Borough Council, have demonstrated the housing need for Wirral which can all be built on brownfield land entirely.

Myth: “The applications are on an Estate-wide package of social environmental and economic benefits”

Truth:  Economic benefits to whom. The package is to line the pockets of the very wealthy trustees of Leverhulme Estates, in almost all cases, do not live on Wirral. There can not be any better environmental economic package than leaving our greenbelt alone in its natural state.

Myth: “It is noteworthy that in the short-term expediency of these applications, is not that of an applicant looking to take advantage in an opportunistic way of a local authority”

Truth:  This statement would be laughable if it were not so serious. Leverhulme are trying to override democracy with ALL their MYTHS.  We as residents pay our council tax and income tax. In turn, locally, we pay our councillors to represent us (residents) at council meetings, to carry out the wishes of the people they represent. Decisions are taken at council meetings through the committee system.

Wirral Borough Council have already made their decisions on what constitutes a Local Plan, their Local Plan. On March 22nd 2022, our council, at a full council meeting, voted for the Local Plan. ALL COUNCILLORS VOTED FOR IT. Now Leverhulme are trying to override that decision so as they can build on our greenbelt. If it were to be successful, it would mean that they would be allowed to build approximately 21,000 houses on greenbelt land. Houses we do not need!

Myth: “We can supply the much need homes that the growing population of Wirral needs”

Truth:  The houses that Leverhulme want to build are not needed, there is sufficient brownfield sites to cater for houses in the Council’s Local Plan. Our population figures through the 2011 to 2022 Census compels our case. Our population grew by just 0.1% in the ten years of the Census (417 residents).

Our population on Wirral grew by just 417 residents between 2011 and 2021. We do not need Leverhulme houses on greenbelt.

Myth: “These applications do not seek to sidestep or prejudice the Local Plan itself”.

Truth:  The applications have been submitted after the Local Plan was prepared and sent to the Secretary of State.

Myth: Wirral Borough Council is unable to demonstrate a 5yr housing land supply and that the new local plan will not be in place quickly enough to provide an opportunity to change that position.

Truth:  Wirral Borough Council have submitted their Local Plan with a 5.9yr housing land supply. There will NOT be any unmet housing need if our campaign can demonstrate that the figures are too high (13,360 houses).

Myth: “The site selection process has involved identifying compensatory improvements within retained greenbelt areas. Greenbelt enhancements are proposed over a wider geography as part of phase 2”.

Truth:  There can be NO compensatory improvements to greenbelt land that would be better than in its Natural State.

Myth: “The site selection process has involved identifying compensatory improvements within retained greenbelt areas. Greenbelt enhancements are proposed over a wider geography as part of phase 2”.

Truth:  There can be NO compensatory improvements to greenbelt land that would be better than in its Natural State.

Myth: “The application will be able to make a very significant contribution to meeting housing needs. Moreover, affordable housing. It will deliver habitat enhancements”.

Truth:  Wirral is NOT an area of urgent housing need (population census 2021), Secretary of State. Affordable in Rigby Drive, Greasby is 80% of the average property price of those houses in Rigby Drive. If the average price of houses in Rigby Drive is £300,000, then an affordable property would be £240,000 to a first-time buyer, at a time when mortgage payments are rising. You cannot enhance the habitat in land more than when it is in its Natural State.

Land at the East of Rigby Drive is classified as 3a and 3b quality agricultural land. This is high quality land. Leverhulme also state “It is consequently our view that any weight applied to the loss of any Best Most Versitile Land (BMV), should be limited”.

Myth: They also state that, the development will benefit from the nearby industrial estate at Arrowebrook (employment wise).

Truth:  50% of the Arrowebrook industrial estate has been sold for housing. This in itself has now caused urban sprawl to Greasby.

Myth: Leverhulme say that the land on Greenhouse farm is a weak parcel of greenbelt land, this means that it should be built on, mainly because of poor soil quality and prone to flooding.

Truth:  Greenhouse Farm soil type is graded as 2, 3a and 3b, all of which are high quality soils for growing crops. In a time of uncertainty due to leaving the EU and the Ukraine war, we need our farmland, our agriculture more than ever. It is not a time that we should be building on farms. There are no problems on the farm with flooding except at the bottom on the fields at Rigby Drive/Arrowe Road and this is mainly due to blocked drains.