Tag: Birkenhead

Planning Applications Decided (Delegated) 16/11/2011 to 15/12/2011 (Bidston & St. James ward)

Application No.: APP/11/01263 Application Type: Delegated Decision Level: Full Planning Permission Ward: Bidston and St James Decision Date: 07/12/2011 Decision: Approve Case Officer: Miss S McIlroy Applicant: Mr Andrew Haselgrove Location: 4 LILLIE CLOSE, BIDSTON, CH43 7YS Proposal: Retention of galvanised steel window guard railing to first-floor rear elevation to restrict opening arch and facilitate closing of french windows … Continue reading “Planning Applications Decided (Delegated) 16/11/2011 to 15/12/2011 (Bidston & St. James ward)”

Application No.: APP/11/01263 Application Type: Delegated

Decision Level: Full Planning Permission
Ward: Bidston and St James
Decision Date: 07/12/2011 Decision: Approve
Case Officer: Miss S McIlroy
Applicant: Mr Andrew Haselgrove

Location: 4 LILLIE CLOSE, BIDSTON, CH43 7YS
Proposal: Retention of galvanised steel window guard railing to first-floor rear elevation to restrict opening arch and facilitate closing of french windows

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Application No.: APP/11/01120 Application Type: Delegated
Decision Level: Full Planning Permission
Ward: Claughton
Decision Date: 28/11/2011 Decision: Approve
Case Officer: Miss K Elliot
Applicant: Mr & Mrs Davin
Location: 381 UPTON ROAD, BIDSTON, CH43 9SE
Proposal: Erection of a two storey side/rear extension

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Application No.: APP/11/01151 Application Type: Delegated
Decision Level: Full Planning Permission
Ward: Bidston and St James
Decision Date: 28/11/2011 Decision: Approve
Case Officer: Miss S McIlroy
Applicant: Mr MA Khan-cheema

Agent: Mr T Khan
Location: 7 BOWGREEN CLOSE, BIDSTON, CH43 7NW
Proposal: Extension to existing garage and formation of a new driveway

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Application No.: APP/11/01256 Application Type: Delegated
Decision Level: Full Planning Permission
Ward: Bidston and St James
Decision Date: 07/12/2011 Decision: Approve
Case Officer: Miss S McIlroy
Applicant: Mr Byrne

Agent: Bryson McHugh Architects
Location: 43 DESMOND CLOSE, BEECHWOOD, CH43 9XN
Proposal: Erection of an attached garage to the side of property

Boundary Review: Bidston & St. James ward to end up in Wallasey

Relying on a leaked list of the Boundary Commission proposals for the North West it seems the current proposals are that Bidston & St. James ward is to become part of Wallasey Constituency.

Upton ward will move from Wirral West to Birkenhead.

Wirral West constituency will be renamed Hoylake and Neston and will include Neston & Parkgate.

Instead of Wirral South there’ll be a Mersey Banks constituency which is half Cheshire, a quarter Wirral (Bromborough and Eastham wards) and a quarter Halton.

Obviously these changes are only proposals, but I’m sure people will have their say on the new boundaries over the next few months.

Planning applications (Bidston & St. James ward) 3 Lighthouse Cottages, Boundary Road APP/11/00388, PPS Service, 157-159 Laird Street, APP/11/00511, 7 Gautby Road, APP/11/00590, (Claughton ward) Flaybrick Hill Reservoir, Boundary Road, APP/11/00468

Unusually there have been three planning applications decided by Wirral Council officers recently in Bidston & St. James ward (all approved) between 7th July and 27th July and one approved near the Bidston & St. James ward boundary with Claughton ward.

These are detailed below (source is item 14 on next Tuesday’s Planning Committee agenda.

Links are provided for further information

Application No.: APP/11/00388 Application Type: Full Planning Permission

Decision Level: Delegated Decision
Ward: Bidston and St James

Decision Date: 27/07/2011 Decision: Approve
Case Officer: Mr M Rushton
Applicant: Dr Stephen Pickles Agent: Powis Hughes Chartered Surveyors

Location: 3 Lighthouse Cottages, BOUNDARY ROAD, BIDSTON, CH43 7RA

Proposal: A change of use application in respect of cottages of the lighthouse cottages at bidston conservatory, the current planning use is ‘office’ although the nature of existing occupation is residential. The property is residential in character the change of use application is to reverse a previous change of use granted in 1981

Application No.: APP/11/00468 Application Type: Full Planning Permission
Decision Level: Delegated

Ward: Claughton
Decision Date: 11/07/2011 Decision: Approve
Case Officer: Mr K Spilsbury
Applicant:

Agent: Brock Carmichael Architects
Location: Flaybrick Hill Reservoir, Boundary Road,Bidston, Wirral CH43 7PE
Proposal: Application to develop land for 4no. detached residential dwellings on the site of an existing water tower and pumphouse

Application No.: APP/11/00511 Application Type: Full Planning Permission
Decision Level: Delegated
Ward: Bidston and St James
Decision Date: 22/07/2011 Decision: Approve
Case Officer: Miss K Elliot
Applicant: Mrs W C Liu Agent: Niall Patterson Associates
Location: PPS Services, 157-159 LAIRD STREET, BIRKENHEAD, CH41 0AA
Proposal: Change of use A5 (hot food takeaway), alterations to shop front and rear extract flues.

Application No.: APP/11/00590 Application Type: Full Planning Permission
Decision Level: Delegated
Ward: Bidston and St James
Decision Date: 13/07/2011 Decision: Approve
Case Officer: Miss K Elliot
Applicant: Mr & Mrs Farr Agent: Niall Patterson Associates
Location: 7 GAUTBY ROAD, BIDSTON, CH41 7DS
Proposal: Proposed alterations and two storey side extension to house.

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.