Category: Planning

Application for a takeaway (refused) – 46 Hoylake Road, Bidston & APP/11/ 00065 – Townfield Close, Claughton – Demolition of an existing petrol filling station and erection of Class A1 retail unit

Following a petition and an objection, the application for a takeaway at 46 Hoylake Road, Bidston which can be viewed on this map here has been turned down. The reason given for refusal is below:- " The proposal is within 40 metres of a residential dwelling located within a designated Primarily Residential Area and is … Continue reading “Application for a takeaway (refused) – 46 Hoylake Road, Bidston & APP/11/ 00065 – Townfield Close, Claughton – Demolition of an existing petrol filling station and erection of Class A1 retail unit”

Following a petition and an objection, the application for a takeaway at 46 Hoylake Road, Bidston which can be viewed on this map here has been turned down.

The reason given for refusal is below:-

" The proposal is within 40 metres of a residential dwelling located within a designated Primarily Residential Area and is considered to present potential for noise and disturbance to the amenities that the occupiers of neighbouring uses can reasonably expect to enjoy. The proposal is thereby contrary to Policy HS15 and SH4 of the adopted Wirral Unitary Development Plan and the associated Supplementary Planning Document 3 - Hot Food Takeaways, Restaurants, Cafes and Drinking Establishments. "

Once again it shows that when residents stand up against unwelcome developments in their local area, Wirral Council will turn down applications. I hope however in the near future that this empty shop (and the one next door to it) will be brought back into use.

The detail of the planning application can be read here.

At tonight’s Planning Committee meeting (starting at 6pm in Committee Room 1/2 at Wallasey Town Hall) another planning application unwanted by local residents is on the agenda, which is application APP/11/00065 for the demolition of existing petrol filling station and erection of a Class A1 retail unit. The report suggest to councillors that they should approve this application, despite the petition from over a thousand households against it. Certainly it will be the most well attended and debated item on tonight’s agenda. Interestingly (and unusually) the application has a qualifying petition for and against the proposal.

May Elections

I’ve just read the latest press release from Cllr Holbrook about the May elections.

As he points out, Liberal Democrats work hard for residents all year round. Unlike Labour who announced budget cuts to libraries, then defended the plan to the public, then spent thousands on a barrister at a public enquiry, the Lib Dem/Tory coalition on Wirral Council consulted first with the public.

I have previously pointed out myself that thanks to Lib Dems in government, 4,400 Wirral residents are now not paying income tax and 102,000 people are paying £200 less. £5 million extra is going to Wirral’s schools, targeted where it is most needed in areas like Bidston & St. James.

The designation of Wirral Waters as an Enterprise Zone will further help local residents searching for employment.

There are those that criticise the Liberal Democrats for forming a coalition government with the Conservative Party in the national interest (and similar criticism of the local progressive partnership with the Conservative Party on Wirral Council). Do you think more money would be going to schools in areas like Bidston & St. James and that people on a low income would pay less tax under a Conservative council or Conservative government?

Cllr Holbrook says “Unlike other parties, we do not rely on negative criticism, empty insults and blank sheets of paper to try and win votes.” I think he is referring to Labour who won’t come clean about the £14 billion of cuts they planned. The difference between the Coalition government cuts and Labour’s cuts are things like the following:-

ID cards: £86 million saving to the taxpayer
£800 million saving to the public in fees

Instead of cutting waste, Labour let government spending get out of control. Thanks to the tough decisions made by Lib Dems on Wirral Council no Sure Start centres had to close yet in Labour run councils massive cuts have been made to vital services people rely on like Sure Start and libraries.

Asda Development Birkenhead – When do the public have a say?

I read with interest Frank Field’s piece in the local paper about the new Asda store in Birkenhead.

I agree with Frank and many other local residents that it has caused massive problems with parking (including a reduction in Blue Badge spaces). What he fails to mention was that a few days before the local elections it was a Labour-led Cabinet (with a built-in majority) of Cllr Foulkes, Cllr Davies (Phil), Cllr Davies (George), Cllr Stapleton and Cllr McLaughlin that met behind closed doors without the press and public present to agree to the price Wirral Council got for the car parks.

Generally in the month leading to an election or election period, apart from decisions that have to be made within a certain time limit (eg Planning, licensing etc), no decisions of a political nature are made. This is called purdah and it means they refrain from taking decisions or making policy announcements which are significant and may be politically contentious.

So what was the decision that was made? Well Asda (Walmart) wanted to only pay £500,000 for the car parks rather than £2 million. Asda have changed the original plans a number of times. You can search here using the postcode CH41 6EB in the address box to see things like the current planning application for signage for the store and carpark. You can leave comments online if you wish.

To finish, I welcome new jobs in Birkenhead, however there are concerns the existing businesses and stall holders at Birkenhead market have that once the new Asda store opens it’ll affect the viability of their businesses. A number of shops have already closed down. The new Tory/Lib Dem run Wirral Council believes in consulting with the public before making major decisions. The previous Labour led council had a “decide, announce, defend” strategy that led to the fiasco and public inquiry over the library closures and a very divisive, macho-style of politics that managed to cheese off large sections of the voting Wirral public.

I have seen many Walmarts in America and heard from local people about the effect it has had on local shops. I hope Birkenhead keeps its character and doesn’t turn into another Walmart clone town after the Asda store is opened in November. I hope the Asda doesn’t just end up employing people who currently work at the existing shops but also takes on people from Birkenhead who are long-term unemployed. Wirral Council is committed to supporting jobs and helping people keep their jobs or find new ones.

Planning Committee – 08/03/2011 – Part 6 – Sheldrakes Restaurant, Banks Road, Heswall

Another officer said he wouldn’t like to comment on which impression is more accurate. He referred to one of the elevations and showed them the elevation that the painting was painted from.

The Chair, Cllr Mitchell said it’d been a very interesting site visit. He referred to the comments and questions of Cllr Johnston and Cllr Johnson. He talked about the hours. The petitioners interrupted the meeting and said they hadn’t spoken on six (in reference to the hours). The chair repeated that as he said at the beginning they would deal with both items five and six together and explained the procedure to them. The petitioners asked why they were only allowed five minutes for both items. The Chair responded with yes and explained he was trying to be fair and that there were other items on the agenda with petitions too.

He referred to Councillor Johnson’s amendment to 6. Cllr Johnson pointed out his amendment was to five and six. Cllr Johnson read out his amendment again, seconded by Cllr Keeley. The vote was (for item 5) three councillors voted for. There was a again a problem with the microphones. Cllr Mitchell and Cllr Realey proposed approval. The Chair was advised by the Borough Solicitor’s department not to have the order of the vote the way he wanted so it was switched round.

On five’s amendment, three councillors voted for, eight voted against. On the approval for five, eight councillors voted for with three against. Then he went onto item six. Cllr Johnson moved an amendment and was asked for reasons. After a delay he gave reasons stating the extra hour would be harmful to the wellbeing of residential properties to the NW and SE.

Cllr Mitchell moved approval, seconded by Cllr Realey. On 6’s amendment, three voted for with eight against. On 6’s approval, eight voted for with three against. It was pointed out that approving six transfers conditions to item 5.

So therefore, both items 5 and 6 were approved, so the Committee moved on to item 4.

Planning Committee – 08/03/2011 – Part 5 – Sheldrakes Restaurant, Banks Road, Heswall

Cllr Johnson referred to the Inspector’s report which mentioned limitations on the balcony to be used by patrons to prevent overlooking to residential properties. He moved onto item 6 regarding the extended hours. The Inspector considered conditions. He said the Inspector had considered it necessary to protect the living conditions, neighbours and character of the area through a condition. He also mentioned a reimposed condition to control noise which was modified to comply with the 11/95 circular. He said the view of the Inspector was that the extra hours shouldn’t be approved and there were enough grounds to refuse item 6.

He referred to the artistic drawing and said it had artistic licence as it’d take twenty years for the ivy to grow. He said they were not supposed to be commercial in the Greenbelt and said it should be refused as it was out of character and harmful to the appearance and character of the Greenbelt (policy GB2 of the Unitary Development Plan) and that the proposed alterations would give the appearance of a commercial use on the shore contrary to GB2 also. Cllr Keeley seconded this.

Cllr Mark Johnston asked how many car parking space there were? He also asked which was more accurate (or which was more misleading) the artist’s drawing or the less complimentary picture? He asked as the restaurant had the later opening hours, was this just to bring the extension into line?

The Chair asked the officers to answer the points.

The answers given to how many car parking spaces was that it was “quite a large car park”. He said he wouldn’t expect a significant impact on the highway and parking. One of the petitioners heckled from the audience “We do though”.