Wirral West Conservatives

Planning Officers had recommended approval for the development - but Conservative Group Spokesman on the committee (Councillor David Elderton) made a statement relating exclusively to planning issues and moved ‘refusal’ on the grounds that the applicant had failed to demonstrate the ‘very special circumstances’ nededto justify the construction of the medical centre on Green Belt Land. 

Councillor Elderton’s move to refuse received overwhelming all party support – with only two dissenters – and the application was refused.
The unedited formal statement made by Councillor Elderton is given below+++
Having directed the development and construction of many multi-million pound hospital and health related facilities all over the north of England, I welcome any improved health care facilities in this area BUT
 
It would be helpful to summarise matters that we should take into account before making any decision on this application based on purely planning grounds.
 
The area on which this PCT facility is proposed to be located is - in accordance with the Unitary Development Plan for Wirral - scheduled as green belt land.
 
The outline proposal to erect a health centre on this land is not a ‘permitted use’ within established Green Belt policy – and a similar application was turned down in January 2004 for this reason amongst others (OUT2003/6894/D).
 
The only way that this use can be permitted is if there are ‘very special circumstances’ demonstrated to justify the conflict with national green belt policy to allow construction at this location.
 
Let me read a brief, recent edited extract from ‘Wirral Matters’ on the subject of the green belt (in bold print) – which some of you may believe is relevant.
The Wirral Green belt was previously part of the Cheshire Green Belt, prior to local government reorganisation, and was formalised in 1983.
The boundary to be decided upon was the subject of major public consultation and a lengthy public inquiry presided over by a government inspector.
 
Following that inquiry, the Inspectorate made a decision on the eventual boundaries of the Wirral Green Belt.
 
It was deliberately drawn as tightly as possible, as the inspector recognised that the fragile character of the peninsula could soon be lost altogether if such action was not taken urgently.
Over the years, this planning committee has robustly protected the Wirral Green belt in accordance with the government inspector’s decision.
 
We now need to be very careful that we do not make the wrong decision for the wrong reasons.
 
In my opinion, the applicant has not demonstrated ‘very special circumstances’ and need for this development to be located on this site. In addition, I believe there to be access and road safety issues that are not (and have not been) entirely satisfactorily resolved.
 
It might also be noted that whilst this current outline application may appear to be the most attractive solution of those currently investigated and included in the report – I believe that there are now more appropriate sites available or becoming available that could provide a far better long term solution.
 
In view of all the above, it is my view that ‘very special circumstances’ that needed to be identified to build on this site’ have not been demonstrated and the application should be refused because it is an inappropriate development in the Green Belt.