Richborough Estates' plan for 190 Irby homes is put on hold

A developer has confirmed it will not proceed with plans for 190 homes to be built on Wirral's green belt.

As reported yesterday, Richborough Estates has earmarked land north of Irby for the development of 190 properties as one of 70 projects in the UK.

The move prompted concerns from local residents and Wirral West MP Margaret Greenwood who said: "Irby residents have made it clear to me that they do not want to see building on the green belt."

Richborough Estates has now said it does not plan to move forward with the plans and it will remain a green field site for the foreseeable future.

Harry Jackson, Northern Regional manager, said: "I can confirm we will not be submitting an outline planning application until our site is successfully removed from the Green Belt and has status within the Wirral Local Plan."

The Wirral Local Plan, which is currently in development, will prioritise building on brownfield sites, land that is already developed. 

The proposal would see homes built on 31 acres of fields north of Irby, on two separate plots of land.

Building on green belt land is a big concern for some Wirral residents after the Leverhulme Estate proposed that more than 1,000 homes could be built on Leverhulme land.

Over 4,000 people have signed petitions relating to the eight Leverhulme applications so far with a further application expected later this year.

Margaret Greenwood said she is opposed to development on green belt land in Wirral adding: "We are facing battles at both local and national level when it comes to protecting the green belt. It is important that people make sure that they submit their objections to the local authority when planning applications are submitted. 

"The green belt is incredibly important to the quality of life of people who live and work in the area. It's also important in supporting wildlife habitats and mitigating the effects of climate change. It's vital that we protect it."