The Local Plan – what Wirral will look like for the next generation
Wirral Council has been told by Planning Inspectors it can move ahead to formally adopt what is believed to be the country’s first Brownfield-Only Local Plan.
This is a vital document which sets out how the borough should be developed over the next 18 years – what Wirral will look like for the next generation and beyond.
Focused on brownfield sites the Plan allocates land for housing, including supported living for the ageing population. It also identifies potential sites for creating new jobs and indicates how infrastructure to support this could be delivered, including schools, open space and helping people move around the borough.
The Local Plan is the result of years of hard work from councillors, officers and the community, including extensive consultations which has seen the draft plan shaped by our residents and businesses. It will replace Wirral’s current Unitary Development Plan that dates back to 2000, and it provides an up-to-date policy framework to help us shape the future of our borough.
Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paul Stuart, said:
This is a significant moment for Wirral. The Local Plan is the foundation of our regeneration programme, one of the largest in the country. It supports much-needed new homes, better employment opportunities now and for the next generation, and helps make this borough more prosperous for everyone.
The Local Plan was subject to public examination led by the Planning Inspectors who subsequently told the council the Plan required some changes, known as Main Modifications. These have now been made and agreed with the Inspectors who say that the Plan is sound and that the council can move to adopt the document.
Cllr Stuart said:
Wirral’s Local Plan has the capacity to deliver a real and lasting transformation for this borough. The Inspectors' recognition and support of the council’s brownfield-only strategy show how effective this approach promises to be.
The Plan focuses on developing previously used land, mainly in the east of the borough. By doing this, we aim to make real progress in addressing significant inequalities – such as health, life expectancy, and wealth – that exist between the east and west of Wirral, while also protecting our rich natural and built heritage.
