Conservatives have secured guarantees that the building of a large housing estate in Formby will only go ahead if flood and drainage protection meets with official approval.
Nearby residents are concerned about the building of more than 260 homes on land north of Brackenway and adjacent to Formby bypass, an area known to have flooding problems.
Sefton’s Planning Committee has approved issues relating to the appearance, layout, scale and landscaping on the large 21-acre site.
But Councillor Joe Riley, the Conservative member for Harington Ward insisted that the development was “co-dependent” on drainage design which cannot be treated as a separate issue.
He pointed out that one of the key authors of the council’s surface water management plan, a nationally recognised hydro-engineer, was of the same opinion.
He also noted that the Environment Agency had declared itself “unclear” on proposals for the discharging of any flood water.
He was given an assurance by council officers that any future flood risk elements, if raised by the Environment Agency, would be addressed prior to the start of any actual building work.
